Residents, businesses and visitors are being asked for their views on how bus services can be improved across Bournemouth town centre.
The aims are to enhance their reliability, encourage greater use and help reduce congestion.
It is all part of a five-week public consultation, being run by BCP Council, which gets underway today running until Tuesday 2 April.
People are being encouraged to complete a survey which forms part of the government funded Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) – a joint commitment to the National Bus Strategy by BCP Council and local bus operators.
The consultation will focus on bus travel between the Bournemouth Travel Interchange and town centre.
Several proposed improvement measures are split into four different areas – Holdenhurst Road, Old Christchurch Road, Gervis Place/Hinton Road Junction and Westover Road.
They include:
- Improved journey times and reduced delays by providing a new two-way route for buses directly into Bournemouth Town Centre.
- Improved passenger waiting facilities, including new shelters with widened pavements, real time information and CCTV.
- Reduced congestion and improved traffic flow which will help improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions.
- Improve connectivity and access to Bournemouth Town Centre, the Lansdowne and the Bournemouth Travel Interchange.
- Create safer options for pedestrians, people living with a disability and cyclists, along with improved safety and visibility for all users.
Cllr Andy Hadley, Portfolio Holder for Climate Response, Environment and Energy and BCP Council, said: “Significant congestion on the local road network, especially during peak seasonal periods, has had a severe impact on bus services and passenger journeys.
“Bournemouth Travel Interchange to the town centre is a key route causing delays for passengers, with a nine-minute journey from the station to the square often taking up to 50 minutes during the busiest months.
“This affects more than 40 different bus services which operate in this area daily, so tackling this key section will make a big difference to the reliability of bus services across the conurbation.
“I’d encourage as many people as possible to complete this survey and share their views on our proposed plans, which focus on several key areas for improvement that will benefit pedestrians, people living with a disability and local businesses with more efficient, accessible bus services that encourage more people to choose this mode of travel.”
The latest public engagement exercise builds on the Bus Back Better consultation, which was held from November 2021 to January 2022 after £8.9million of funding was secured to help deliver the Bus Service Improvement Plan initiative.
It asked people for their views on ways to make buses faster and more reliable, providing valuable insights into how elements supporting the National Bus Strategy could be implemented effectively across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
Since then, BCP Council has finalised the Enhanced Partnership Plan and Enhanced Partnership Scheme, which set out exactly what will be delivered alongside local bus operators, with the shared aim of increasing the number of bus journeys and reducing car use.
This latest consultation is the next phase with all the feedback used to help formulate a detailed plan of improvements in May.
Further consultation will then take place over the summer months to deliver these in early 2025.
The survey, is available to complete online at: – https://haveyoursay.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/bsip-bus-travel-bmth
There will also be two public roadshow events taking place at the following locations: –
- Bournemouth University (EBC Building): Tuesday 5 March, 10am-5pm
- The Bournemouth Arcade, Gervis Place: Thursday 21 March, 10am-5pm
There will also be an online event hosted by BCP Council on Wednesday 13 March from 6-7pm, with details on how to register for this announced in due course.
Anyone unable to attend an event who has a question or wants to know more can email Public.Transport@BCPCouncil.gov.uk