Bus passengers in Alton, Farnborough and Aldershot are set to benefit from a £950,000 programme to improve transport facilities across Hampshire.

The three towns are among the locations earmarked for upgrades to bus stations and transport hubs, with planned improvements including passenger information screens, replacement shelters, seating, lighting and CCTV.

Hampshire County Council has approved £600,000 for bus station and transport hub improvements, with a further £350,000 allocated to projects making it easier to switch between buses and trains.

Council officers said some facilities had “not seen much investment over recent years” and did not provide “a welcoming or attractive waiting environment” for passengers.

Their report describes bus stations and transport hubs as the public transport “shop window” in town centres and other busy locations.

It said: “These waiting environments are in visible high footfall areas in town centres or other busy locations and are part of the ‘shop window’ of travelling by bus and need to be invested in and to look appealing.”

The programme will fund new passenger information screens, replacement shelters and seating, improved signs, refreshed road markings, better lighting and CCTV.

Havant is among the biggest beneficiaries, with plans for new information screens, upgraded shelters, CCTV, lighting and signs linking the town centre with public transport facilities.

Winchester and Eastleigh bus stations are also set to receive new real-time departure screens.

Improvements are planned at bus facilities in Andover, Basingstoke, Fareham, Gosport and Romsey, while other transport hubs due to benefit include Hythe, Lymington, Ringwood, Totton and Waterlooville.

The £350,000 allocated to bus and rail connections will fund better passenger information, clearer signs between railway stations and nearby bus stops, and upgrades to waiting areas.

Railway stations set to benefit include Winchester, Havant, Fareham, Brockenhurst, New Milton, Chandler’s Ford, Portchester and Basingstoke.

Officers said improving waiting areas was just as important as improving bus services. They warned that failing to invest in passenger facilities could make bus travel less attractive and encourage more people to travel by car.

The funding comes from the government’s local authority bus grant programme, through which Hampshire has been allocated more than £27 million in capital funding between 2026/27 and 2029/30.

The investment forms part of the council’s ambition to double annual bus passenger journeys from 21 million in 2023/24 to 42 million by 2034/35.