OPEN-TOP bus tours of the New Forest are set to return, giving people the chance to enjoy the views of the national park.

From Saturday July 18 to Monday August 31, Morebus and Bluestar will resume the service in partnership with the New Forest National Park Authority.

Morebus and Bluestar managing director, Andrew Wickham, said: “With this wonderful corner of the UK now emerging from lockdown, we are excited to be offering an incredible panoramic perspective of the New Forest’s many gems.

“From privileged views of the wandering ponies, to the spectacle of the area’s quaint villages and dramatic purple heathland, the tour offers exceptional views of everything the area has to offer.”

With around 40,000 passengers boarding the New Forest Tour open-top double deckers in previous years, Morebus and Bluestar are expecting high demand over the weeks.

Andrew continued: “The tour has been hugely popular in recent years, and we are expecting no difference in 2020.

“Our team has worked very hard to ensure our buses are ready, with some changes in place to follow government guidelines. There are stringent cleaning regimes in place, with special focus on ‘touch points’, where we use anti-viral wipes.

“We ask those travelling with us to wear face coverings, unless they are medically exempt. Our drivers are protected by specially-designed screens, and our seating is arranged to allow for social distancing.

“With this in mind, seating on the top deck may sometimes be limited. If we are full on any particular journey, there will still be ample opportunity for people to enjoy the views at different times.”

New Forest National Park Authority chief executive Alison Barnes said: "We are delighted the New Forest Tour is able to return for the summer season and thank Morebus and Bluestar for implementing the safety procedures.

“The tour brings in an estimated £0.5m to the visitor economy and promotes local attractions and businesses, which is much needed in the area at present. 

“The tour ticket also doubles up as the ’go New Forest card’ which is a great way to save lots of money and support local businesses in the New Forest.  

“Each tour bus can facilitate up to four bicycles or wheelchairs and dogs are welcome too, enabling all our visitors to circumnavigate the Forest on the three routes. 

All three routes - green, red and blue - will run to their normal timetables, with some minor exceptions. The green route will also travel via Applemore Tesco to allow for connections with Southampton’s Bluestar 8 and 9 bus services.

Tickets can be purchased online, through the clickit2ride app, or from the driver.