Chris Loder, MP for West Dorset, has penned an open letter to the Chairman of the West Dorset Ring & Ride Service. The organisers of the service have utilised the local media to scaremonger about the withdrawal of their service from West Dorset and have not enabled others to participate. Mr Loder has secured a solution to the matter and has clarified the options available to customers in his letter.
In his letter, available on his website, Mr Loder said: “Following recent dialogue between Dorset Community Transport (DCT) and I, DCT has kindly offered to provide dial-a-ride services to existing customers of your Ring & Ride Service. DCT is confident that it can adapt its existing services in the West Dorset area to incorporate those communities affected by your decision, but despite requests to convey this option to the local residents, you are not doing so.”
He continued: “I first reached out AVWRR on 28th September 2023 to discuss help and solutions. It is regrettable and disingenuous that you gave a press interview to BBC Spotlight on Wednesday 11th October 2023 without giving the full perspective – in that you chose to ignore that other solutions were possible – especially given you had ignored my requests to speak.”
Mr Loder has urged the Chairman of the West Dorset Ring & Ride Service to enter discussions with Dorset Community Transport.
