DORSET Council’s transport portfolio holder has said the council is unable to interfere with commercial decisions made by First Bus.

Cllr Ray Bryan had been asked to try and assure Dorset routes which operate from Yeovil bus depot which is due for demolition.

David Redgewell from the Southwest Transport Network said services to and from Yeovil and Sherborne, Bridport and Blandford operate from the depot site on the A30 at Reckleford, which First want to demolish and then sell.

He told a Dorset Council meeting that he feared the demolition could, ultimately, affect Dorset services and those which run on to Templecombe and Wincanton.

Mr Redgewell also made a plea for the council to support the campaign to persuade First to once again divert the X51 Weymouth to Bridport service to stop at Martinstown and Winterbourne Steepleton.

Transport portfolio holder, Cllr Bryan, said the decisions by First were operational ones, on commercial routes, which left Dorset Council unable to intervene, although he said he would engage with the bus company to clearly set out its future plans for the routes.

In a statement in September First said changes to the Yeovil site would not impact customers or services and the Yeovil bus station would remain at its current site although it planned to demolish the separate depot building.