Trevor Bevins, Local Democracy Reporter.
News that Dorset Council will invest millions of pounds in the coming years to help those who already travel by bus is to be welcomed — and for those struggling with rising fuel prices, yet to take to the buses, it might be a good time to try them out.
With this in mind, I thought it a good time to get on board with local buses myself to see how good, or otherwise, they might be at the moment.
For a couple of weeks, accompanied by my trusty bus pass, I have been out and about witnessing some touching moments, some annoying incidents and others almost too ridiculous to recount.
By and large, the buses have been on time and the drivers polite, with a few exceptions.
Two buses did not turn up at all, despite the electronic sign telling me they would, along with the apps, which also promised an imminent arrival. Others have gone by the bus stop at the advertised time before I could get there – which is more annoying than being late.
One of the no-shows was the last bus back to Weymouth from Dorchester where three other people were also waiting, two of them staff at a local pub. I could walk home, but the others were talking about clubbing together for a taxi when I left.
Another incident did not affect me directly, but my wife and two grandchildren had a driver fly by their stop despite it being obvious well in advance that the button was pressed. There was no apology.
Other passengers have mainly been great – I’ve struck up conversations with several, found mutual friends we knew, swapped bus stories and am now on nodding terms with a few regulars, mostly pensioners like me, who form the bulk of day-time bus travel.
I have glanced away as couples canoodled (as my Gran would say) and tried not to listen while others argued.
I have watched people help others on and off the bus, frequently seen drivers get out of their cab to lower that funny little fold-up ramp many buses have, and even helped people in wheelchairs and with prams myself.
I am still not certain what to make of being offered a seat by a young lady on a crowded market-day bus. I declined.
Babies and dogs are guaranteed conversation starters, often bringing advice from fellow passengers; at times, the bus feels like a real community.
I mainly used the No 10 between Dorchester and Weymouth, with occasional trips on the 6 and CR8, among the better-served routes.
The First buses are mainly newer than Damory’s, although I did travel on a newish double-decker of theirs just once. Most of them can be noisy; all of them rattle. You will often be too hot or too cold, and you will have to put up with other people’s germs. On some you can charge your phone; a handful even have three-pin plugs.
Most buses are fairly clean, but they become dirtier as the evening wears on.
My most bizarre evening was after 10pm on the Dorchester to Weymouth service when a young man, dressed in work clothing, insisted he wanted a child’s fare. Rightly, the bus driver refused, the youngster cursed, and we then had a stalemate for a good few minutes with the bus not moving. Wanting to get home, I offered to pay the young man’s fare. It was refused by the driver. At this point our workie saw sense, coughed up and muttered “I’ve only done it so you can all get home” as he made his way to a seat. The rest of us clapped, but he had the decency to nod ‘thanks’ to me as I got off.
On a more serious point, getting to and from many places remains almost impossible – Blandford being a case in point. It can be done on the CR8 or CR9 from Dorchester but takes around an hour, and when you get there you might not be able to get back, depending on which day it is.
At the time of writing, buses leave Dorchester at 11.30am and then not again until 3.35pm, while services to Came View and western Poundbury are difficult at some times, including evenings, when passengers must take a through bus to Bridport or Lyme Regis.
The coastal routes are popular, with pensioners and visitors especially, but as a serious means of getting to Bridport or Lyme Regis I would still rather drive; it just takes too long.
Want to reach Poole or Bournemouth by bus? I have found no public-transport route apart from the train, although buses in both places are newer, more frequent and linked to the railway stations.
One final question: why can’t I use my bus pass after 11pm?
That aside, I look forward to the planned investment over the coming seven years so that we might level up with our neighbours.
