A GREEN campaigner is today at the centre of a row after he criticised council chiefs for failing to make transport improvements in Wey-mouth and Portland.

Transport 2000 regional officer David Redgewell, who regularly speaks out on transport issues, is the subject of a stinging attack by borough environmental services chief Richard Burgess.

Mr Burgess said despite comments from Mr Redgewell, Weymouth and Portland had seen vast improvements in relation to the local transport plan, thanks to work by both the borough council and Dorset County Council.

In a letter to Coun Andy Hutchings - who contacted council chiefs following comments made by Mr Redgewell at a meeting of the public transport forum in November - Mr Burgess lists some of the successful projects including improved access to schools, a new cycleway, traffic calming, raised bus stops, new bus shelters and decriminalised parking.

He explains that the council has been working closely with First group and Sureline and a new bus shelter will be in place outside the bus station in Commercial Road very shortly.

Mr Redgewell told the forum, and later the Dorset Echo, that it would be a 'disgrace' if Dorset County Council was forced to hand back the money it had failed to spend as part of the local transport plan for Weymouth.

He said unspent cash would have to be returned if there was no visible sign of any work being done by March 31.

Mr Redgewell criticised leaking bus stops, lack of bus shelters and the rail interchange at Weymouth station as well as failure to provide bus lanes in Dorchester Road.

But Mr Burgess said Mr Redgewell's comments were 'entirely without foundation' and 'clearly not based upon any detailed analysis of the proposals in the local transport plan'.

Mr Redgewell hit back today and he is expected to clash with council chiefs when he attends the next meeting of the public transport forum on Thursday.

He said: "I totally disagree with Mr Burgess. I still feel Weymouth and Portland Borough Council has a lot to do when it comes to making transport improvements.

"First Group have invested £9.5 million on new vehicles but some of the bus shelters owned by the council are in a deplorable state. I'm fed up of waiting in the rain at leaking shelters around Weymouth."

Mr Redgewell added: "I'm still waiting for posters at the railway station listing bus times and it's been more than eight months since the council said it would provide a passenger waiting area outside the bus station.

"The council has to get its act together."