VISITORS to the west Dorset coast will be able to feel the wind in their hair as a new open-top bus hits the road for summer.

First Wessex has announced a new addition to its fleet as it prepares to adopt its summer service from May 30.

From Sunday, the new open-top X52 Jurassic Coaster will start operating between Monkey World and Bridport via Wool, Lulworth Cove, Weymouth, Abbotsbury and West Bay.

The open-top 501 Portland Coaster started operating earlier this month.

Meanwhile, the X51 Dorchester-Axminster via Poundbury, Bridport and Lyme Regis, will be extended into Weymouth, with buses travelling via Weymouth College.

Carol Sim, operations manager at First Wessex, said: "By increasing frequencies, introducing a new X52 and extending the X51, improving the frequency along the Jurassic Coast, the summer service timetables will offer more travel opportunities, better connections, new destinations and more reliability.

"We look forward to welcoming more visitors than ever to Dorset."
 

Bridport and Lyme Regis News: Fleet of First Wessex vehicles Picture: Matt RamseyFleet of First Wessex vehicles Picture: Matt Ramsey

Over the past few months, the team at First Wessex has been revamping the appearance of its bus fleet in preparation for summer. At the beginning of the year, a new logo was introduced and work has been ongoing to repaint the fleet in green and yellow.

Carol Sim added: "This staycation summer is looking like it's going to be a great one for Dorset and we are expecting lots of new tourists exploring the region for the first time.

"During what has been one of the most testing periods for us as a local bus operator, our team have still managed to find spare capacity and energy to develop a new comprehensive look for our business to welcome existing and many new bus users on our buses."

Summer bus guides are available from the driver and from tourist information centres.

For more information, visit www.firstbus.co.uk/wessex-dorset-south-somerset