Transport

Bus Services

Stagecoach Bus

Overton is on the Stagecoach Bus routes which run from Basingstoke to and from Andover (route 76) and Basingstoke to and from Winchester (service 86); westbound the routes diverge at Whitchurch. These routes are promoted by Stagecoach as part of their 'Rivers' network around Winchester. Morning and afternoon services Mondays to Saturdays are run commercially by Stagecoach but mid and late evening and all Sunday services receive a subsidy from Basingstoke and Dean Borough Council. Subsidised services' viability is reviewed regularly by BDBC.

There are bus stops at Ashe crossroads, Berrydown, Overton Hill, Community Centre layby/St Mary's Hall, Harvey's Field and Southington Close on these routes. All bus stops need to be treated as request stops so put out your hand if you want the bus to stop. For most of the day Mondays to Fridays there is a half hourly service to Basingstoke and Whitchurch with and hourly service to both Winchester and Andover. Evening services are infrequent and Sunday services run approximately every 80 minutes to both Basingstoke and Whitchurch during the main part of the day.

These are provided by South West Trains (SWT) which is part of the Stagecoach group. Network Rail is responsible for the infrastructure. Overton is on the London Waterloo to Salisbury and Exeter line and the ticket office is manned only from around 0600 to 0930 Mondays to Fridays. At other times please obtain your ticket from the ticket machine at the foot of the overbridge. There are regular services to London, half hourly in the morning peak and hourly for the rest of the day, and from London on an hourly basis with a half hourly service from mid afternoon to mid evening which continues to Salisbury. Some services go as far as Gillingham, Yeovil Junction or Exeter St David's.

Travel at weekends is often disrupted by engineering works so check the SWT website or the notice which is updated weekly on the station, usually by the footbridge. The station is currently (Nov 2010) undergoing refurbishment - new shelters, new train information screen - none of which seem to be an improvement on what was there before. The matter has been taken up with the rail and local authorities.

Car parking at and near to the station is under severe pressure. It is currently free of charge and the main station car park is usually full by 7am on weekdays. The two overflow car parks further down Station Hill are privately owned and have no formal status as station car parks. One can take about 30 cars and the larger one, owned by De La Rue who operate Overton Mill, can take around 80 if people take car to park considerately. The overflow car parks have no lighting and are potholed but they reduce on road parking which can annoy local residents.

Overton is about four miles north of Micheldever station on the Basingstoke to Winchester line reached via the C29, the extension of Winchester Street and Sapley Lane. Services are generally hourly and are used by the London, Basingstoke, Fareham, Porstmouth trains.

For further information call 08457 48 49 50 or contact Brian Langer, Overton Parish council's passenger transport representative on 770848.