Dorset Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council are drawing up a new Local Transport Plan (LTP). It will cover the period 2026 – 2041. The draft plan was out for consultation in September and the closing deadline for responses was the end of October.
The draft plan set out their long-term vision on how to make travel easier, safer and more inclusive. It looked at how they can improve travel choices, reduce congestion, cut pollution, and make it easier for people to get to work, school, healthcare and leisure. It also aimed to support their goals of tackling climate change, protecting the environment and helping local communities to thrive.
Dorchester Transport Action Group (DTAG) submitted a response to the consultation. Whilst we welcomed the vision behind Dorset Council’s Local Transport Plan, we urged the Council to move from high-level ambition to firm delivery. We felt that the plan lacks the targets, timetables and measurable commitments needed to support a cleaner, safer and fairer transport system.
Strategy without a roadmap
We considered the strategy document was more “an aspirational wish list” with no milestones or prioritisation. Whilst we widely supported the six stated objectives, we believed the public consultation missed a key opportunity to involve residents in real decisions and trade-offs.
Implementation: too vague to drive change
The 15-year implementation plan, which had to be read in conjunction with the draft strategy, was thin on detail and ambition, particularly in rural areas and on climate action. We argued that Dorset needs meaningful investment in public transport, active travel and behaviour change, not only more roads.
Some of the key areas we highlighted in our response included:
Climate and Environment
- Strong support for EV charging, electric buses, greener routes
- But firm targets are missing – especially for emissions reduction
- Infrastructure must serve all communities, not only those with driveways.
Public and Active Travel
- Walking and cycling should be the default choice for short trips
- Safe, separated paths such as Dorchester–Poundbury (Damers Road) must be prioritised
- Bus services must be more frequent, earlier, later and more reliable.
- Flexible and smaller buses could better serve rural villages
- We supported better facilities at stations, including lifts, bike carriages and mobility hubs.
New developments
- Housing growth is happening without robust transport planning
- New sites must be designed around public transport and active travel from day one.
Roads and behaviour change
- More road-building will only create more traffic
- We backed car sharing, car clubs, 20mph zones, sectoring and park-and-ride to reduce congestion
- A “Vision Zero” target of no serious injuries by 2050 is recommended.
Innovation
Dorset’s geography should be seen as a testbed for rural mobility, including:
- Demand-responsive transport
- Shared e-mobility
- Autonomous shuttles
- Low-carbon delivery models.
Dorchester-specific priorities
We set out a clear list of actions for the town, including:
- Safer cycling at Bridport Road / Damers Road
- New mobility hubs at Dorchester South Station and Trinity Street
- Re-development of some car parks for housing and green space
- 24-hour park-and-ride and a new bus station
- Support for a metro rail service from Poole to Weymouth
- A ULEZ zone to accelerate EV transition
Conclusion
Whilst supporting the Council’s ambitions, we warned that Dorset faces rising congestion, climate pressures and rural isolation. We called for clear targets, transparent modelling and genuine community involvement so that the Local Transport Plan becomes a plan for delivery rather than a list of hopes.