BRIDPORT: A highly charged meeting of the Western Area Transport Action Group (WATAG) found upset residents angrily confronting a senior official from First Dorset about bus route cancellations and timetable changes.

The meeting discussed changes to the X31 service between Axminster, Bridport, and Dorchester, which will be reduced to two-hourly, while weekly timings will see fewer routes plied during late evenings.

The 7.15pm bus from Dorchester to Axminster via Bridport will be the last evening bus despite the 5.30pm from Waterloo not reaching Dorchester until 8.15pm.

Meanwhile the X53 between Exeter, Bridport, Weymouth, and Poole would see its Sunday service withdrawn for the winter, amid other changes.

The final X53 to leave Weymouth will now depart at 5.30pm, with the 6.20pm and 7.20pm being discontinued.

The 753 service from Beaminster to Weymouth College would now be incorporated into the main X53 timetable, with a feeder service between Beaminster and Bridport.

Dorset County Councillor Ros Kayes, told the meeting there was ‘a lot of concern’ and that people ‘were not happy’ about the changes.

Commenting afterwards, she said: “There appears to be no reason why the service could not be re-advertised and opened to other bidders.”

Mark Williams, business manager at First Wessex, said that cuts to routes and bus services were necessary during winter months when the number of users reduced. He said: “It is a very seasonal area and we cannot continue with that level of investment during the winter.”