A cut in service of the Jurassic coast bus service from Weymouth and Bridport to Exeter is a shame, say Bridport town councillors.

First Buses have announced an overhaul of local services, times and frequencies and the X53 will in future run only every two hours.

First says it is making the changes to improve the punctuality, reliability and viability against the level of demand for buses.

The West Dorset services to change are 31, 47 and X53. The timetable for the 31, which runs from Axminster to Weymouth Service 31 (Weymouth - Axminster, is being amended. The 7.41am journey from Bridport to Dorchester - which operates on school days only - is being altered to operate eight minutes earlier, The 3.45pm school day-only duplicate journey from Woodroffe School to Axminster is being removed from the timetable. The 47 from Bridport to Yeovil is being altered and customers have been advised to check the new timetables carefully.

The X53 which runs from Poole, through Weymouth to Exeter is going two-hourly from Monday to Sunday. At the council plans meeting Coun Dave Rickard said of the X53: "I think it is inevitable because they will only run the services that they can make a profit on, We have already lost the last bus back from Dorchester. I suspect we might go to a two-hourly service after 6 o'clock and we could lose a morning one as well.

"It is a shame because we have made great strides in the last ten years to get these bus services and that will be all thrown away."

Coun Sarah Williams said it was a particular shame for those who live on the coast road and West Bay.