Solutions and Alternatives

There are sustainable and far less damaging measures that could be taken to solve the transport problems of the area without the need to build the Weymouth Relief Road. The County Council proposal would create a win-lose situation - those living on Dorchester Road win and the residents of Littlemoor and elsewhere lose. Alternative measures would create a win-win situation that would benefit all.

The County Council itself has identified independent integrated transport measures that could also be described as alternative measures if the road were not to be built. Lists of these are contained in the 1999 Provisional LTP, the 2000 Full LTP and the 2005 Provisional 2nd LTP. In the December 2000 Transport Settlement Letter (in response to the bid for the Weymouth Relief Road), Government made it clear that it expected the Council to implement these \"at the earliest opportunity\" and \"to demonstrate the extent to which the integrated transport measures, not dependent on the construction of the road, have been completed\" before it would release funds for the road. It is by no means clear that the Council has met these requirements. In fact there is evidence that the County Council has no intention of doing so. In a letter dated 27 July 2004 from the Chairman of Dorset County Council to Dorset Branch CPRE it is stated that Council policy is not to implement these measures until the road is built: \"the Council is convinced that to implement a new road at this time remains the wise thing to do. This will allow Green Travel Plans together with the other non-roadbuilding aspects of the strategy to be progressed and implemented as priority determines\".

The Government's 2006 LTP Settlement Letter contains some damning criticism of Dorset County Council's attitude to transport:

'The Car clearly remains the core mode of choice and the focus of support by Dorset County Council. There are very limited commitments to Demand Management, and an overwhelming commitment to road improvements as being the single most important element. Core public transport capital initiatives are integrated into the road building programme, in particular the Weymouth Relief Road. There are no reasons to identify why these areas could not be disaggregated.'

Elsewhere in the Letter the Government criticises the Council for being unclear as to the delivery of its sustainable transport agenda, with little evidence of positive contributions to climate change.

1. The following is a list of measures that would, collectively, improve journey times, road safety and air quality in the Dorchester-Weymouth corridor at less cost and in a far more sustainable way than construction of the proposed Weymouth Relief Road:

• Designation of the A354 through Upwey and Broadwey as a clearway between 0700 and 1800 hours.
• Reduction of opportunities for vehicles to turn right in order to leave or join the same stretch of road.
• Redesign of the Dorchester Road – Littlemoor Road junction to reduce delays.
• Selective road widening.
• Implementation of a comprehensive Workplace Travel Plan for Dorset County Council employees.
• Implementation of comprehensive Workplace Travel Plans for all medium and large size organisations in the Weymouth – Dorchester area, particularly for Dorset County Hospital, West Dorset District Council and Dorchester Prison.
• The setting of more ambitious targets for modal transfer through School Travel Plans, particularly for Wey Valley Secondary School and Saint Nicholas & Saint Laurence, Saint John’s and Radipole Primary Schools.
• A comprehensive review of parking provision in Weymouth and Dorchester with the objective of modal shift from car use to public transport, cycling and walking.
• Construction of the five cycleways listed in the 2000 LTP.
• Introduction of a fully integrated bus system for the Weymouth–Dorchester corridor that would include express services between the two urban centres supported by feeder services supported in turn by suburban and rural parking facilities for cars and cycles.
• Establishment of formal Bus Quality Partnerships.
• Construction of bus lanes.
• Introduction of bus priority measures.
• Provision of real-time bus information.
• Installation of weather protection, seating and lowered kerbs for all bus stops.
• Coordination of bus and train timetables.
• Introduction of a public transport interchange at Weymouth railway station.
• The dualling of the railway between Moreton and Dorchester South and an upgrade to signalling and power supplies to facilitate increased frequency of service between Weymouth and Bournemouth.
• The introduction of a through Exeter - Yeovil Pen Mill - Weymouth train service utilising the freight-only chord at Yeovil.
• Introduction of increased frequency of rail service and reduced journey times between Weymouth & Bristol and Weymouth & Waterloo.
• It can be noted here that the need to spend £1-2 million on upgrading the junction of the A354 with the A35(T), resulting from the large amount of traffic forecast to transfer to the proposed bypass from the surrounding network, would not be necessary if these measures were to be implemented.

2. Natural England has proposed the following:
Corridor Solutions: Public transport services using the existing transport network:

• Park and Ride within the A354 corridor
• Increased Bus Service Capacity (greater frequency/bus size)
• Increased Train Service Capacity (greater frequency/train size)
• Conversion of the existing rail link to provide for mass transit options such as:
Guided Bus or Bus way
Light Rail
Shared Tram and Train Route
Guided Light Transport (GLT)

Area-Wide Strategies: Combinations of measures such as:

• Development of the existing bus service network
• Development of the existing rail service network
• Development of a new mass transit system using the options described above
• A cordon of Park and Ride sites around Weymouth and Dorchester
• An Intelligent Transport System (ITS) to improve traffic movement in Weymouth
• Demand management and parking restraint within Weymouth

Another alternative - a light railway

Why not change the current rail links between Weymouth and Dorchester to the same light railway system they are using at London Docklands?

Rationale

The Local Transport Plan a policy document for the area supports integrated transport. The relief road is largely inconsistent with those objectives by increasing reliance on the car.

Weymouth's two transport routes to Dorchester are a road and a railway. The railway is totally underused as it fails to get people to their required destinations. A light railway will get the people to the right places at the right time and for the right price.

Adopting a similar system used in London combines proven technology with an existing railway line. All that is needed is some more stops.

The main interchange between the light railway and all buses could be sited slightly north of Weymouth station.

The light railway could stop at:

1) Weymouth Ferry terminal. 2) Town centre/Debenhams
3) Weymouth railway station (rebuilt) 4) Radipole halt.
5) New Look. 6) Wey Valley School
7) Upwey. 8) Tesco Dorchester
And alternately
9) Dorchester Hospital 10) Dorchester South

Terminating the London route at Dorchester might allow a more regular and reliable service and encourage greater rail use.

The single track between Weymouth and Moreton has a profound affect on timetabling and compounds delays between Weymouth and Poole.

By starting the eastbound trains at Dorchester there could be a significant improvement in frequency and reliability. There will be a possibility of running three trains every hour rather than one.

A light railway system would run from Dorchester South to the Weymouth ferry terminal. There they could catch small high speed passenger ferries to the Sailing Academy.

The existing Dorchester West station could be moved so that it served the Hospital more conveniently.

This scheme would meet many more of the objectives of the Local Transport Plan and the Strategic Environmental Assessment than the relief road.

The use of the same system as Docklands would provide a more seamless movement between Olympic venues in London and Weymouth meeting the original objectives of the Olympic transport committee.

It would demonstrate to the world in 2012 that Dorset is prepared to address international climate issues with positive attitudes to change.

World demand for oil is increasing. It is generally accepted that the current rate of oil extraction of seventy million barrels a day is nearing or has passed a maximum. There will be higher prices. Supply will be short. Britain's relationships with the oil producing countries are becoming more difficult. Maintaining oil supply is far from guaranteed.

The legacy for the Olympics would be a cheap and efficient transport links for the local population. This will help maintain a vibrant economy. Reduced dependency on fossil fuels is economically as well as environmentally sustainable.

To compliment this scheme it is essential that road junction at Littlemoor
be substantially redesigned. Initial negotiations with stakeholders should be start immediately.

The technology is fully developed and the rails are in place. Most of it is already built. It works.