Bus passengers in South East Dorset are set to reap the rewards after the Department for Transport awarded £3.435 million pounds of Government funding towards improving local bus travel in South East Dorset.

The funding comes as a result of a successful joint application “Better Bus Area Fund Bid” from the transport authority departments for Bournemouth Council (lead authority), Borough of Poole Council And Dorset County Council. The bid was also supported by the area’s main two bus operators, Yellow Buses and Wilts and Dorset.

The funding will be used towards improving the quality of bus travel locally in the following ways over the next two years:

Improving Real Time Information for travellers at the busiest stops; this will include an upgrade of 100 signs at the busiest stops to the latest generation displays

Raising awareness of local bus travel through joint operator and Local Authority Marketing campaigns

Higher quality, safer and more secure bus stops through the upgrade of a number of the key bus stops along major bus routes to high specification  facilities (includes new shelters, footway surfacing, provision of access kerbs and clearway markings). Solar powered lighting be installed at 275 stops

Tackling a number of points of localised congestion and delays to traffic along the key bus corridors within the local area to improve bus reliability/punctuality

Installing audible announcement devices on over 250 buses on the two main bus operators in the area (Yellow Buses and Wilts and Dorset) for drivers. New energy efficient LED saloon lighting on over 250 buses and additional customer care driver training

Extra buses and longer trains will operate to and from Weymouth during the Olympics from 27 July to 12 August.
South-West Trains to and from Southampton and London will run longer trains on many services.  First Great Western from Bath and Bristol will also operate longer trains.  It is also understood that some Arriva Cross-Country trains from the Midlands will be extended from Bournemouth to Weymouth.

Bus services will also be enhanced.  The X53 bus between Poole, Weymouth and Exeter will run hourly, instead of two-hourly.  The X43 will run two-hourly from Swanage and Wareham.  The route 1 between Weymouth and Portland will run every few minutes with double-deck buses in place of single-deckers.

If travelling by car is your only option you will need to book a space in one of the park and ride sites via the website:
http://www.firstgroupgamestravel.com/park-and-ride.
PLEASE NOTE: Private cars will be banned from Weymouth during the period of the Olympics unless the driver is in possession of a special pass.  Public transport is definitely the best option for visiting the town.

Poundbury and Dorchester are to be linked by a new bus service to be funded by Dorset County Council with help from West Dorset District Council and the Duchy of Cornwall.

The new route (number 6) will operate on weekdays between Queen Mother Square and Dorchester South Railway Station via Dorset County Hospital.  The bus will initially be diesel-powered but eventually electric buses will take over, thought to be the first electric-powered buses in South-West England.  The Department for Transport has given a grant for two electric buses with zero carbon emissions.

At a time when most county councils are slashing bus routes, Dorset is actually supporting a new service.

This will be up and running in January 2012, we have been informed today.  This is part of the Weymouth Transport Package for the Olympics, funded mostly by central government, but with additional funding from Dorset County Council.  It has been delayed from its original completion date but it will be a big improvement for Weymouth bus passengers when operating.  All the major bus stops will show the actual arrival time of the bus, and not the timetabled time, which can be very different, particularly during the heavy summer traffic.
The information should also be available on mobile devices, such as I-phones and Android phones.  

Passengers will have noticed the new screens on the reverse side of the bus stop flag, which currently are blank.  The new shelters at The KIngs Statue will have the screens built in to the inside of the shelter where the bus stops, which currently are empty spaces except for a few wires.

This is a new website to help customers get problems fixed on public transport.  If you have an issue with a bus, bus stop, train, station etc, this site will help you get you grievance to the body responsible. Equally, if you are pleased with the performance of a local bus, train, ferry etc. your praise can be publicised. The website address is FixMyTransport.com

Between September 2011 and May 2012, major work will be carried out to improve traffic flows at this busy junction. The present roundabout will be replaced by a "doughnut" junction.  This means that the A31 will drive straight through the centre of the present roundabout on a dual carriageway, with all traffic being controlled by a total of 70 traffic lights.

When finished traffic should flow better along the A31, but there will be serious queues and diversions whilst the work is carried out over an 8-month period. This will inevitably delay all road users, including buses. DETAILS.

From today Dorset's subsidised bus services are changing. The County Council have negotiated a longer term arrangement to secure a better deal for ratepayers. Most rural services will now be run by Damory Coaches, a sister company to Wilts and Dorset, part of the Go-Ahead group (Go South Coast). Summary of changes. Use Traveline for details of timetables and a complete journey planner.

Bargain parking for a family. Parking in Weymouth town centre is very expensive, so save your cash and buy your ticket from the P&R machine and ride free. Buses run every 15 minutes until 6.15pm. The Park and Ride is conveniently sited just off the southern end of the new Weymouth Relief Road (A354). The more that use it the less congested Weymouth will be!

A steam train every 45 minutes will operate on the Swanage Railway from today for most of the school summer holiday.  There are also evening diesel services between Swanage and Corfe Castle. Park your car all day at Norden Park and Ride, and let the steam train take the strain into Corfe Castle and Swanage.  During the school holidays the X43 Damory/Wilts & Dorset bus also stops at Norden Park and Ride station on its journey between Weymouth and Swanage. Train timetable

A recent article in the Daily Telegraph travel section extolls the virtues of travelling by bus along the Dorset and Devon coast: http://fb.me/13saO3s5o
Although there are a few inaccuracies, the article includes some nice photos and should help to promote bus travel in Dorset.