CAMPAIGNERS fighting for improved bus services in west Dorset have finally had their case heard by county councillors.

It has taken over a year for the Bus Action Group (West Dorset) to have its 1,000-signature petition presented before Dorset County Council after it was initially rejected on a technicality.

As well as receiving the petition, which calls for the reinstatement of evening services on the X31 route between Dorchester and Axminster, councillors also heard from the campaigners who have been leading the fight against the bus cuts.

John Collingwood told members: "The fact remains that, despite our shortcomings, as a spontaneous, voluntary, non-party political group of concerned individuals over 1,000 people have signed our petition twice."

He added that over the past 12 months the situation had deteriorated with further cuts to bus services, which he said was impacting on the most vulnerable members of the community

Mr Collingwood urged councillors to make sure that the ongoing holistic transport review looks beyond its current remit to consider new ways of delivering bus services to more isolated communities to meet the needs of local people.

He said "We are looking for our elected representatives to come up with genuinely innovative solutions which draw the support and patronage of the public.

"There has to be a viable alternative available to persuade motorists to leave the car behind."

Councillors also heard from Rebecca Hilton, who stopped driving five years ago due to ill health and was now struggling to get to see her mother in a care home in Winterbourne Steepleton because the bus no longer stopped there.

She said the home was also struggling to recruit staff because there was no public transport.

There were also concerns raised from parents and governors of Woodroffe School in Lyme Regis over "massive overcrowding" on the route and the impact of the withdrawal of services on young people.

Bridport councillor Ros Kayes said: "This is an example of what happens when a private subsidised bus service becomes completely commercial."

She put forward a recommendation, which was supported by councillors, that as part of the holistic transport review the council look at the possibility of quality contracts so that if a private operator is awarded a route the authority can hold it to account in terms of times of service and prices.

Cllr Paul Kimber agreed with the suggestion that the authority should also look at new ways of funding public transport.

He said: "We have got the mechanisms and means that we can look towards.

"It's unforgivable that people can't get to schools or hospitals or care assistants can't get to work."