Minibus shuttle pilot set for summer launch

A new weekend bus service aimed at cutting congestion on the Dorset coast is set to be launched at the start of the school summer holidays.

Operated by Dorset Community Transport, the WB1 pilot minibus service will link Bridport and West Bay.

Josef Davies-Coates of community group West Dorset Commons, who came up with the idea, said it aimed to create "a greener, more accessible Bridport".

The group admitted the pilot scheme's vehicle was not wheelchair accessible and would only operate on afternoon and evenings.

The WB1 service is due to launch on 26 July, running almost every half hour on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and evenings between Bridport town centre and West Bay.

Fares have been set at £1 per journey with children and bus pass holders travelling for free.

The scheme received a £20,000 grant from the Western Gateway Sub-National Transport Body as well as funding from Dorset Council Community Transport.

It will have constant "monitoring and evaluation" during the pilot which is set to continue through the autumn and winter, with a revised timetable.

Mr Davies-Coates said: "This isn't just about transport - it's about shaping a better, more connected future together."

He said on social media that a long-term plan was to have a community-owned electric bus, which would be fully wheelchair accessible.

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