Massive Cuts to Dorset Bus Services

Posted by Andrew McLean | Updated 2017-02-05

Dorset County Council has announced that it is cutting the number of bus services that it supports from 35 down to just 7!

“This will have a devastating effect on everyone who doesn’t have access to a car,” says Cllr Andy Canning, Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesman and County Councillor. “It will increase isolation as those on low incomes, poor mobility and the elderly, who live anywhere that isn’t close to a town centre, will become stranded in their homes. How are people to get food, to do their shopping or get to the doctors or the hospital? Some may be able to rely on family or friends some of the time, but many others will not.”

DCC want to save £1 million from these services. That is a very small proportion of the County Councils overall budget and Lib Dem Councillors believe that most of it should come from elsewhere.

The bus services that will come to an end in the West Dorset area on July 22nd include:

1, 2 and 6	Dorchester town services
44	West Bay – Bridport
71	Lyme Regis town service
73	Powerstock – Bridport
74	Sherborne – Yetminster – Yeovil
101	Crossways – Broadmayne – Dorchester
210	Litton Cheney – Bridport
211	Poundbury – Weymouth
212	Dorchester – Yeovil
307	Stalbridge – Dorchester
311	Blandford – Dorchester

“I will be launching a petition this weekend and working with effected Parish Councils and bus users to challenge this whole process. These cuts are going too far and are not in the interests of Dorset residents,” argues Cllr Canning.

For your information – the tendering contracts for the seven bus services that are carrying on beyond July are being issued by DCC today.

The seven public routes that will be tendered are:

Interurban Route 1 - Blandford to Sherborne
Interurban Route 2 - Shaftesbury to Gillingham
Interurban Route 3 - Blandford to Shaftesbury
Interurban Route 4 - Sturminster Newton to Gillingham
Interurban Route 5 - Blandford to Dorchester
Interurban Route 6 - Blandford to Salisbury
Interurban Route 7 - Sherborne to Dorchester

The full list of bus services currently being supported is below:

DCC Supported Bus Services up to 22 July 2017

3	Poole - Wimborne via Corfe Mullen	Mon - Sat. Except public holidays.	DCC funds Corfe Mullen - Wimborne.
20	Blandford - Salisbury	Mon – Fri Except public holidays		Interurban route 6
38	Ferndown - Ringwood	Mon - Sat. Except public holidays.
44	Swanage - Worth Matravers	Mon - Fri. Except public holidays.
44	Bridport - West Bay (Bridport)	Mon & Weds - Sat. Except public holidays.
59	Shaftesbury - Gillingham	Mon - Sat. Except public holidays.	Interurban route 2
71	Lyme Regis town service	Mon - Sat. Except public holidays.
74	Sherborne - Yetminster - Yeovil	Mon - Fri. Except public holidays.
88	Wimborne circular/Castlepoint	Mon - Fri. Except public holidays.
97	Fordingbridge -Cranborne/Verwood (Ringwood Weds)	Mon - Fri. Except public holidays.
101	Dorchester - Crossways	Mon - Sat. Except public holidays.
104	East Chaldon - Wareham	Mon - Sat. Except public holidays.
158	Shaftesbury - Bourton - Gillingham	Mon - Fri. Except public holidays.	Interurban route 2
185	Blandford - Blandford Camp	Mon - Fri. Except public holidays.
187	Blandford - Dorchester	Mon - Fri. Except public holidays.		Interurban route 5
207	Weymouth - Wyke Regis	Mon - Fri. Except public holidays.
210	Bridport - Litton Cheney	Mon & Weds - Sat. Except public holidays.
211	Pounbury/Upwey - Weymouth	Mon - Fri. Except public holidays.
212	Dorchester - Yeovil	Mon - Fri. Except public holidays.
307	Stalbridge - Sturminster Newton - Dorchester	Mon - Fri. Except public holidays.
309	Blandford - Sturminster Newton - Gillingham	Mon - Fri. Except public holidays.		Interurban route 4
311	Blandford - Dorchester	Mon - Fri. Except public holidays.
368	Blandford - Yeovil	Mon - Fri. Except public holidays.
D1/D2	Dorchester - Town Services	Mon - Sat. Except public holidays.
D6	Pounbury - Dorchester	Mon - Sat. Except public holidays.
X9	Blandford - Shaftesbury - Gillingham	Mon - Sat. Except public holidays.			Interurban route 3
X10	Blandford - Sturminster Newton - Yeovil	Mon - Sat. Except public holidays.			Interurban route 1
X11	Dorchester - Sherborne - Yeovil	Mon - Sat. Except public holidays.			Interurban route 7
X12	Blandford - Weymouth	Mon - Sat. Except public holidays.			Interurban route 5
73	Powerstock - Bridport	Mon-Fri. Except public holidays.
158	Wincanton - Yeovil	Mon-Sat. Except public holidays.

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