Chris Loder, MP for West Dorset, hailed a new trial bus route which will connect the villages of Martinstown and Winterbourne Steepleton at an inaugural launch event on the 12th May. First Wessex’s X51 bus service will be diverted to serve residents of the two villages on a trial basis until September, following successful campaign efforts by local residents, the Dorchester Transport Action Group (DTAG), and Chris Loder MP.
Mr Loder said: “After 10 years without a proper bus service, I’m pleased to have helped restore the X51 route through the villages of Martinstown and Winterbourne Steepleton. I would especially like to thank First Wessex; Stewart Palmer, Chair of DTAG; and Les Scarth, who has campaigned tirelessly for a bus route through the villages. I would strongly encourage residents to use this trial service, as passenger numbers will be used to assess the route’s long-term viability.”
Stewart Palmer, Chair of DTAG, said: “The X51 trial diversion is the result of local agitation and tremendous community involvement. We all want this to be a commercial success for First Wessex, and it depends entirely on residents and visitors using the service. There has never been a better time to use the bus, with the £2 bus fare which will run until December 2024. The service will help connect communities for work, employment, and leisure activities.”
