Bus service changes due to come into force early next month have been criticised as 'fundamentally flawed', with hourly routes cut and a direct journey slashed.

A new timetable for Service 6, which previously offered a direct route between Bridport and Yeovil, will launch on April 8.

Operated by First Wessex, the route will incorporate part of the Service 40 route, which will then cease to exist.

There will no longer be a direct journey from Bridport to Yeovil and passengers will need to change in Crewkerne.

The one bus a day from Beaminster to Yeovil will leave Beaminster at 5.42pm, with the one bus back leaving Yeovil at 4.35pm. This means those travelling to Yeovil arrive more than two hours after the only bus back to Beaminster, and those coming from Yeovil have just seven minutes in Beaminster before getting the only bus back.

Buses will not run at the same time every hour and there will not be an hourly service, with a wait of one hour and 30 minutes between some services.

First will introduce direct journeys from Bridport to Crewkerne and passengers will no longer have to change in Beaminster.

A 6A service will also operate between Salway Ash and Beaminster School.

A spokesperson for First said: “When the new Monday to Friday timetable for Service 6/6A starts operating, it introduces a through service between Crewkerne, Beaminster and Bridport, providing better connections for passengers without having to change. The timetable provides a good level of service throughout the day.

“The service is jointly operated by Buses of Somerset and First Wessex, with Dorset County Council contracting two school-related journeys between Beaminster School and Salway Ash – operated as service 6A – and a service connecting Crewkerne and Beaminster.”

Since October 2017, First has been operating Service 6 from Bridport to Beaminster with one direct service to and from Yeovil. Dorset County Council has been operating Service 40 between Beaminster and Yeovil with commuter services to and from Bridport.

However, many passengers will have to change in Beaminster to get to Yeovil. Some say connections are not always guaranteed. The commuter service to Yeovil was withdrawn in October last year. Bob Driscoll, chairman of the Western Area Transport Action Group (WATAG), said this led to a ‘loss in confidence’ in the service from passengers.

“The Bridport to Yeovil corridor has always been a cause for concern since July 2017 when Damory withdrew its Service 40 after the change of operator for the school contracts," he said.

“Whilst at the time we were given assurances that there would be a ‘seamless’ transfer to a new operator, the reality has been quite the opposite, with several changes of schedule since then, leading to a loss of confidence by the travelling public and consequential drop in patronage.

“The revised service being introduced from April 8 is another major change in the schedule and there are inevitably winners and losers.

“We were disappointed that neither WATAG, nor any of the other stakeholders, such as the town and parish councils along the route, were consulted in advance of the decision.

“Whilst the reintroduction of through services between Bridport and Crewkerne – avoiding the current arrangement of having to change at Beaminster – is to be welcomed, to implement a timetable without any direct Bridport to Yeovil service seems fundamentally flawed.

“Likewise, the removal of a ‘clock face’ timetable between Beaminster and Bridport, with consequential reduction is services to Bridport Hospital, seems short-sighted and likely to lead to loss of patronage as so often has been proved when the timetable is no longer easy to remember.

“We hope there will be an opportunity to review the whole route once the new Dorset Council is established, after which we would urge a period of stability to rekindle confidence in the service.”

MEETING

The new summer timetables for bus services across west Dorset will be discussed at the next meeting of the West Dorset Western Area Transport Action Group (WATAG).


The group will look at First Wessex’s X51, X53 - which will now include a Sunday service at least until the middle of September - and Service 6 timetables which will start from April 7.


As well as buses, rail operators are also introducing summer timetables in May. Through tickets for trains and buses to Bridport and Lyme Regis will also be discussed and the group are asking for details on how to purchase these.


Councillors and bus operators have been invited to come along to update members of the public on service news and to answer any questions. Members of WATAG are expecting a written report from Dorset Travel and they have also asked for an update on bus routes paid for by the county, including school transport.


The meeting will take place at the WI Hall in North Street, Bridport, on Thursday, March 28 from 6.30pm.


Free parking after 6pm is available in the Wykes Court car park.


For more information about the group, timetables and to see previous meeting agendas and minutes, visit watag.org.uk