Bus routes changing in North Dorset

IMPORTANT bus routes in North Dorset will change in January.

According to Dorset County Council, the timetables for the 309 and 310 buses operated by Damory Coaches that run between Blandford and Sturminster Newton, with extensions to Gillingham and Shaftesbury, are considered irregular and confusing to passengers. 

From Friday, 5th January a new service will run over the existing 309 route approximately every two hours and, except for some school journeys, service 310 will no longer operate. Damory Coaches’ 182 services between Blandford and Shaftesbury will be withdrawn, as other journeys are possible on Nordcat service 83.

The council says the service will be more regular, have a better standard of vehicles, better connections in Blandford with the X8 service to Poole, and better connections with train services in Gillingham.

Services will no longer run via Wessex Avenue in Shillingstone because of difficulties in manoeuvring past parked vehicles.  However, Thursday journeys on service 317 into Blandford will be revised to serve Wessex Avenue and Stourton Caundle.  On Saturdays, the service will no longer serve Woolland because of low numbers of passengers boarding.

Service 368 will still offer additional journeys between Blandford, Shillingstone and Sturminster Newton on its way to and from Yeovil from Mondays to Fridays. The Wilts and Dorset X8 service also provides an early journey through to Poole from Sturminster Newton from Mondays to Fridays, with an early evening return journey.

Information about the new service, including full timetables, is available to the public at libraries, Tourist Information Centres and through town and parish councils in the affected area of North Dorset. 

People can also call the county council’s Public Transport Section on 01305 224535 or Damory Coaches on 01258 452545 for more information and timetables. The county council wants anyone who feels they may be adversely affected by the changes the council, which may be able to suggest alternatives.

Derek Beer, chairman of Shaftesbury and Gillingham Area Transport Forum and regular bus user, welcomed the changes, saying they would be a big improvement.