Stratton’s lack of a bus service drew a packed audience of around 45 people to the village hall on 17th September, showing the strength of local concern. The village is about three miles north-west of Dorchester, and the meeting was organised by Dorchester Transport Action Group (DTAG) following their open forum in June, where the challenges faced by villages around Dorchester were raised as a major issue.
DTAG chair Stewart Palmer told residents that while reinstating the old 212 bus service was probably unrealistic, there was scope to campaign for some kind of provision. He pointed to Martinstown as an example, where it took years of persistence to secure a service. In the meantime, he suggested exploring other community-based options such as car and lift-sharing schemes, which have worked successfully elsewhere in rural Dorset.
The first task for Stratton’s residents will be to establish what sort of service people actually need, how often it would be used and for what purposes. This could include canvassing nearby villages such as Frampton, Grimstone and Bradford Peverell to demonstrate wider demand: ‘A campaign has to start with clear evidence of need,’ Stewart said.
Les Scarth, a DTAG supporter who helped lead the Martinstown campaign, described practical steps that had worked there – including surveys, door-to-door conversations and mass email and letter campaigns to decision-makers. William Gibbons, DTAG’s lead for buses, stressed that Dorset Council has £4m of new money available for community transport projects, but warned that it will come down to priorities: ‘You need to make your case and make it the best case.’
By the end of the evening, 22 residents had given their details to form an initial working group. DTAG will support them in launching a campaign and a follow-up meeting is planned in the coming weeks.
More details about DTAG at dorchestertransport.org.uk
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