Weymouth tourism warning over rail seat cuts

Weymouth is expected to benefit from a staycation summer

Reduced rail services and planned engineering works could affect visitor numbers to the Dorset coast this summer, business leaders have warned.

South Western Railway (SWR) has announced its "seaside special" service between Gillingham, Sherborne and Weymouth will not run.

Great Western Railway (GWR) services will also be hit by engineering works.

Weymouth Business Improvement District (BID) said operators should provide "enough seating to match demand".

With lockdown restrictions easing and uncertainty surrounding foreign travel, Weymouth, like many other seaside resorts, is anticipating a staycation summer.

In previous years, the summer-only SWR service shuttled passengers direct to Weymouth from Yeovil, Sherborne and Gillingham - a journey which could normally take more than two hours.

Other timetable changes to SWR's Waterloo to Weymouth mainline service are planned, leading to an overall fall in the number of seats available compared to before the pandemic, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

GWR trains serve Weymouth from Bristol

Dawn Rondeau, of Weymouth BID, said the reduced capacity and engineering works would "have a direct impact on potential holidaymakers and visitors to Weymouth, hoping to use the railway to access local hospitality, attractions and retail businesses".

She has called for engineering work to be carried out during "quieter trading periods".

GWR said while its Weymouth to Bristol "Weymouth Wizard" summer timetable would be unchanged, seat numbers would be reduced because of different trains used.

"In terms of capacity, it is likely to be slightly less by the nature of the rolling stock available to us - for example we need even more trains when there are engineering works - and demand for the route we are able to operate it on," it said.

SWR said it had "a responsibility to efficiently match our timetable to customer demand and recognise that means we cannot reintroduce all our previous services".

It added: "Weymouth continues to be well served by regular SWR and GWR services and we are confident these trains will enable thousands of our customers to visit the town's beaches this summer."