Call to reinstate village bus amid 'potty' route
- Published
The bus has not served Winterbourne Steepleton for 10 years
Councillors and an MP have joined calls for a bus company to reinstate stops at a group of villages in Dorset.
Residents in Winterbourne Steepleton and Martinstown lost their bus 10 years ago and want the X51, between Dorchester and Bridport, to call there.
Dorchester town councillors said it was "potty" that the bus passed near the villages without stopping there.
Campaigners said they would be meeting with operator First Bus in the coming weeks to discuss the proposals.
A Dorchester Town Council planning and environment meeting on Monday was told that - with the exception of a community minibus which makes a single trip to and from Dorchester - Steepleton, North Rew, South Rew, Martinstown and Mallards Green had no public transport.
Councillor Fiona Kent-Ledger said: "People are being disadvantaged by not having a bus service. We should welcome this campaign and encourage people to write to First and request it to reconsider."
Councillor Les Fry said: "It seems potty that the bus doesn't travel through the valley."
West Dorset MP Chris Loder and the Dorchester Transport Action Group (DTAG) are also involved in the campaign, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
A First Bus spokesperson said: "We're currently reviewing our entire network in Dorset, which we do twice a year in line with our Enhanced Partnership agreement with Dorset Council.
"Throughout this period, we're working closely with local councillors, MPs and bus user groups on our plans for bus routes."
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