A BID for millions of pounds of funding to rejuvenate bus services in Dorset has been rejected.

This comes as public frustrations with services in West Dorset show no signs of easing.

Dorset Council made the bid as part of the governments Bus Back Better scheme, a National Bus Strategy for England that was launched in March 2021 and had a fund worth £1.4 billion.

It aims to improve local bus services by making them more attractive for passengers, more affordable, easier to understand and use, faster, more reliable, and greener.

Part of Dorset Council’s plan, which was required by government, was to revitalise the local bus network, reverse the decline in local bus passenger use, to have more buses, and have them operating in more places and for longer periods of the day.

In total, 70+ areas submitted bids, with only 41 of them successful in securing funding. Those who were successful and granted money include authorities that surround Dorset; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole were awarded £8.9m, Cornwall £13.3m and Devon £14.1m. North Somerset also received a cash boost.

Chair for Dorchester and District Labour Party, Barry Thompson said: “It seems nonsense that all areas didn’t get a share of the pot of money available from central government. Dorset Council seems always to miss out, bottom of the pile every time.

“We’ve also missed out on extra cash for police, education and more. It looks like the money goes to areas under threat to the Tories, either marginal seats or ones they want to win. Not good enough.

“Dorset is presumed safe Tory territory, so we get zero extra cash.”

Dorset Council plan to continue moving forward despite the setback. Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said: “We are disappointed that we weren’t included in the first release of the Bus Back Better funding. However, we have been notified that further funding will become available. We will work towards this in partnership with operators and passengers.

“I will continue to lobby central government for funding so we can provide a better public transport offering to the people of Dorset and have asked Chris Loder MP to arrange a joint meeting with Baroness Vere to discuss ways forward."