ON TUESDAY night I was out and about with Dorset Police across Bridport and Lyme Regis, meeting our police officers on the beat seeing for myself what the beat is like. My top priority when it comes to crime and policing is County Lines drug dealing.

The British Transport Police are the railway’s police and I have felt for some time they have not done enough to stop county lines on the Salisbury to Exeter nor the Dorchester line but were in Weymouth and Dorchester yesterday (Wednesday) and I hope they start to take proper action.

Many lives have been destroyed by drugs in Dorset as has been the case across the country. Lives of substance abusers have been cut short tragically, families have been left torn apart by it, vulnerable young people have been exploited and abused in county lines gangs.

I had a wonderful morning in the new Bridal Suite in Bridport at the Scope shop. No – I’m not getting married, at least not yet! But I was amazed by the quality and comfort afforded to customers by this charity and the team. Do go down for a day trip to Bridport and have a look if you can. There is so much to do in the town.

A major tool to support the environment would be effective public transport, and as part of the Government’s ‘Bus Back Better’ drive, Dorset council have this month been running an online survey on their website, to ask you of your thoughts and needs regarding bus service provision in West Dorset.

This is a great chance to inform the council of where exactly you feel extra resources are needed, and I look forward to seeing the Council’s Bus Improvement Plan once it is released at the end of October, as a response to the findings of the survey.

The survey is available at: www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/your-council/ CHRIS LODER WEST DORSET MP