Changes to the Public Transport Service will come into effect on 1 October 2026, following public feedback and a review of routes, ticket prices and the cost of operating the service.
The changes are intended to support continual improvement of the service. They include additional and seasonal journeys, clearer timetables, improvements to bus access, lower Hop On Hop Off fares, and lower fares for passengers aged 70 and over.
What you told us
Thank you to everyone who took part in the Public Transport Service survey earlier this year. A total of 176 responses were received from people of different ages and districts, including regular passengers, occasional users and people who do not currently use the service.
Overall, respondents told us that the service is valued. It provides an important way to travel to work, go shopping, attend appointments and take part in social and recreational activities. Buses were generally described as clean and comfortable, and many respondents said drivers were helpful and courteous.
The survey also identified several areas where the service could be improved:
• Although existing journey times met the needs of many passengers, respondents asked for additional and more conveniently timed services, including mid-morning, lunchtime, after-work and evening journeys.
• Some districts and destinations would benefit from better connections.
• Timetables were not always easy to find or understand. Concerns included small print, complicated layouts and outdated information at some bus stops.
• The cost of individual journeys could discourage some people from using the service, or from using it more often.
• Getting on and off buses could be difficult, particularly for passengers with limited mobility.
• Reliability, punctuality and clear information about routes remained important to passengers.
How the feedback is being used
The survey findings have helped shape changes to journey times, timetable presentation, Hop On Hop Off fares and bus accessibility. We cannot introduce every requested change immediately. Some additional services would not yet attract enough passengers to cover their operating costs, while others require further planning or funding. We are therefore introducing the changes that can be supported now and trialling selected additional journeys before deciding whether they should continue. The additional journeys shown in the table below will therefore be trialled for three months so that passenger use can be assessed.
Clearer timetable information. Timetable presentation has improved using a clearer format so that routes and journey times are easier to identify. Updated information will be displayed at bus shelters, the Customer Services Centre and Public Library and will be available on the St Helena Government and Tourism website at https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/public-services/publictransportservice/.
More affordable individual journeys. Hop On Hop Off fares will be reduced with those users aged 70+ years benefitting from an additional reduction. This responds to concerns about the affordability of individual journeys and has been made possible by growth in monthly ticket use.
Improved access. Work is underway to install an additional handrail near bus doors to make it easier and safer for passengers to get on and off.
Journey changes from 1 October 2026
The following route changes will be introduced for a trial period of three months:
| Route | Journeys | |||
| Route 1 – Longwood | Tuesdays and Thursdays – departing Jamestown at 11:30am to Bottom Woods, return journey departing at midday. | Fridays – departing Jamestown at 17:15 to Bottom Woods, return journey starting at 17:50. | November – March – Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays – depart Jamestown at 10:30 to Longwood Green. | |
| Route 2 – Levelwood | The ‘Every Day’ journey to the CCC will travel as far as the Community Care Centre. | The Tuesday and Saturday journeys from Jamestown to Bellstone will depart at 12:50 rather than 13:00. | Last Saturday of each month: depart Jamestown at 10:10 travelling to Ruperts and back into Jamestown at 10:25. Return journey to Ruperts departing Jamestown at 12:30. | November – March:Thursdays – depart Jamestown at 10:10 to Plantation House, return journey departs at 12:35. |
| Route 3 – St Pauls and Half Tree Hollow | Tuesdays and Thursdays – depart Jamestown at 11:30 to White Gate, return journey to Jamestown departing at 12 noon. | Monday – Friday journey departing Jamestown at 07:44 to White Wall will cease to operate. Customers who currently use the journey from White Wall to Jamestown at 07:54 can use Route 4 departing White Wall at 08:05. | Fridays – depart Jamestown at 17:15 travelling to White Gate and New Ground via Sapper Way. | |
Ticket pricing
Government will continue to subsidise the Public Transport Service, currently at £115,000 per annum, so that passengers do not meet the full cost of operating it.
Ticket prices have been considered as part of a wider review of the 2024 PTS pricing model. The review took account of affordability, concerns raised through the survey, the increase in fuel prices in August 2026 and changes in the way passengers are using the service.
It is recognised that any increase in household costs matters. Monthly ticket prices will therefore increase by an average of approximately £5 per month. This is intended to make a limited contribution towards higher fuel and operating costs while allowing the service improvements to proceed.
The new Hop On Hop Off ticket costs will be:
| JOURNEY | TICKET COSTS UNDER 70s | TICKET COSTS 70+ AGE GROUP |
| Short | £2.25 | £1.30 |
| Medium | £2.50 | £1.65 |
| Long | £3.00 | £1.80 |
Children under 10 years of age will travel at half price.
Applying for the reduced fare
Passengers aged 70 and over will need to apply for a photo identification card and show it to the bus driver when travelling to receive the reduced fare. Application forms are available from the Customer Services Centre, the Public Library and Sara-Kay Yon and Lisa Bailey at the Castle, who can assist with completing the form. Staff will be available also at the Customer Services Centre in Jamestown on 29 September 2026 from 09:30 to 14:00 to provide assistance with completing the application forms.
Continuing to improve the service
These changes represent the improvements that can responsibly be introduced at this stage. SHG will continue to review passenger numbers, reliability, operating costs and public feedback each quarter.
The additional journeys will be assessed at the end of the trial period, and further improvements will be considered where there is evidence of demand and an affordable, sustainable way to provide them.
The full survey findings can be viewed on the SHG website at https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/app/uploads/2026/09/PTS-Survey-Findings-Sept-26.pdf , with any information that could identify individual respondents removed. We will also publish the outcome of the trial so that passengers can see how the evidence has informed the next steps.
Government recognises that public transport has an important part to play in helping people reach work, education, appointments, shops and social activities. We will continue working to provide a service that is reliable, accessible and responsive to the needs of the community.
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