WEYMOUTH businesses still have time to have their say about a project worth almost £600,000 to revamp the area around the town's train station.

Dorset Coast Forum has been running a survey on its planned Weymouth Station Gateway project. Businesses, community groups and stakeholders were asked to give feedback on the project by filling out the survey, which closes soon.

The total project fund is £596,000 which includes a £450k grant from the South Western Railway Customer and Communities Improvement Fund (SWR CCIF) and additional funding from partners; Dorset Council, Public Health Dorset, Weymouth BID and Weymouth Town Council.

The project aims to improve the area, which has been prone to incidents of anti-social behaviour in the past, by building better links to public transport and making changes to the car park and station forecourt.

There are no designs at this initial stage, however, the planned improvements includes creating an attractive walkway and cycle link from a narrow area which links two major business areas and runs alongside a section of closed rail line. The aim is to make this a safer area and the project will include Dorset Police and the Community Safety team in the design process.

A Dorset Coast Forum spokesman said: "Overgrown, run down and unkempt the area is prone to anti-social behaviour, meaning people don’t feel safe to use it, particularly after dark. With the support from Public Health Dorset we aim to transform this area to an attractive and safe bike and walk way. By integrating the closed lines with a community-led design we will showcase Weymouth’s rail heritage and provide a pleasant, safe access between King St and Jubilee Close."

The project will not make changes to the road system or traffic flow around the station.

The survey is part of the initial engagement process, where the team behind the project will be speaking businesses, stakeholders and community groups to understand how the train station forecourt and surrounding area is used and what improvements they think would help turn the Weymouth train station forecourt into a safer, more attractive place.

After this first stage, there will be an opportunity for everyone to have their say with engagement opening up to the wider community.

The closing date for the businesses and stakeholder survey is Sunday, August 9.

Visit https://www.dorsetcoasthaveyoursay.co.uk/weymouth-gateway1/survey_tools/weymouth-train-station-improvements-survey