COUNCILLORS will finally listen to a petition collected by public transport campaigners after initially being told that the petition did not meet conditions.

The West Dorset Bus Action Group, will present their petition to Dorset County Council today (12) at this morning's full council meeting - after the initial petition was rejected in April.

A Bridport councillors has urged fellow members of the authority to take the petition seriously and has said 'it is not acceptable' that there is no bus between the town and Dorchester on Sundays or during the evening.

Cllr Ros Kayes, who is a member of the Bus Action Group, said: "I want fellow county councillors to take this petition seriously on Thursday.

"It is not acceptable that there is no bus between the two largest towns in west Dorset on a Sunday nor that the last bus from Dorchester to Bridport leaves at 7pm, making a connection from the 17.20pm London train impossible."

An impact assessment by council officers said the withdrawal of X31 and X53 services 'will have a detrimental effect on young people, especially teenagers, older and disabled people, and women who are known to be the main bus users'.

Cllr Kayes has also called on the council to ensure future services are safeguarded for the public, rather than being 'cash cows' for bus companies.

She said: "I want Dorset County Council to introduce 'quality contracts' which is where a the timetable and minimum service provision is set by the transport authority as part of the contract and it can't be reneged on.

"Our problem here is bus companies that chop and change their services as they please. Quality contracts would say loud and clear that if you want to operate a service here we are going to hold you to account to make sure that it is a service for the public, not merely a cash cow for the most profitable journeys."

The petition asks the council to intervene to maintain and extend evening and Sunday services between Dorchester, Weymouth, Bridport, Lyme Regis and Axminster (X31/X53) and to apply key approach 4 in the Local Transport Plan to promote public transport alternatives to the car which build upon existing transport to improve the availability, quality, reliability and punctuality of services; which develop a fully integrated public transport system which is easier to use for everyone and which improve local accessibility for vulnerable users and in rural areas'.

Dorset County Council said the petition now meets all the conditions required.

A council spokesperson, said: "The petition has now been accepted as it meets all the requirements needed, including at least 1,000 signatures with names, signatures and full addresses."

Campaigner John Collingwood will address the council at this morning's meeting.