National Bus Strategy for England
BCP Council Bus Service Improvement Plan
We’ve been working closely with local bus operators on a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), with the aim of significantly improving bus services across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
As part of our commitment to transforming travel across south east Dorset, we want to increase the number of people travelling by local bus services. To do this, the BSIP – itself part of the Government’s National Bus Strategy – aims to ensure buses are more frequent, more reliable, cheaper, better co-ordinated, and easier to understand and use.
BCP Council area Bus Passenger Charter
A key deliverable of the BSIP is for BCP Council and the local bus operating companies to work together to create a charter for bus passengers. This charter sets out what passengers can expect today when using local bus services and it covers a number of core themes, including punctuality and reliability, vehicle cleanliness, bus waiting facilities, passenger safety and service information.
What is the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP)?
In 2020, the Department for Transport (DfT) released Bus Back Better, a National Bus Strategy for England. This was a £3 billion initiative that required local transport authorities like BCP Council to submit a BSIP, unlocking DfT funding and support.
Our plan has been developed in full partnership with local bus operators and other stakeholders, and outlines our ambitions to improve bus services across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. It sets out a high-level vision to deliver much improved local bus services and significantly increase the number of people travelling by bus.
Following the DfT’s review of the BCP BSIP the Council was one of 31 areas selected for funding and was awarded £8,858,430 across a three-year period from 2022/23 to 2024/25. The funding allocation awarded to BCP was split between revenue and capital spend as £2,753,791 and £6,104,639 respectively. While this was not the full funding amount requested by BCP Council, it does provide the stimulus to deliver several critical projects across the BCP area that will specifically benefit local bus services and their passengers.
To ensure they’re working as intended, these plans are required to be updated at least every year - BCP Council first published its BSIP in October 2021, and the most recent report was published in July 2024.
By creating an ‘Enhanced Partnership’ with local bus operators, we will secure continued access to national short-term funding for the bus sector to support continued recovery from the impact on passenger numbers of the Covid-19 pandemic. It will also ensure the council’s eligibility for any new sources of funding from the DfT’s £3bn National Bus Strategy. The Enhanced Partnership was formally adopted in February 2023 and followed the revisions needed as a result of changes in bus operators in the BCP area (with morebus now operating nearly all routes). In line with the BSIP, the Enhanced Partnership has a plan and a scheme, which sets out in detail the initiatives that will be implemented.
Proposals for the BCP Council area include measures to speed up buses to reduce journey times and improve punctuality, increase frequencies on some routes, and run targeted fares offers. We are committed to supporting bus travel as part of our sustainable environment objectives, helping to tackle the climate and ecological emergency as well as reducing traffic congestion and improving accessibility for residents and visitors.
The priorities within the plan are based on results from a consultation that took place between 29 November 2021 and 7 January 2022 on 11 proposed key actions.
Other useful links
Bus Service Improvement Plan - Bournemouth Travel Interchange to Town Centre
BCP Council has received funding from the Government to improve bus services and passenger facilities.
Background
BCP Council, in consultation with the bus operators, published the area’s first Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) in October 2021. This outlines the vision, objectives and delivery plans to improve bus services across BCP in line with the National Bus Strategy.
The BSIP has a strong emphasis on improving bus journey times, reliability, service frequency and passenger facilities. BCP Council was one of only 31 Local Transport Authorities LTAs) in England to be awarded funding as part of the first phase of BSIP, with £8.9m received from Government to deliver a package of measures. Passengers are now benefitting from the delivery of these schemes, including:
- New bus shelters, real time information displays and CCTV installed throughout BCP and in Poole Bus Station.
- Improved accessible bus stops in Christchurch High Street and Bargates.
- Enhanced frequencies of Service 13 Bournemouth-Wimborne and Service 18 Broadstone-Bournemouth has increased ridership by 35% and 200% respectively.
- Fares initiatives have included an equalisation of prices across the BCP area, the introduction of child period tickets and the “Commuter Club” aimed at encouraging greater use of buses for journeys to work.
The local bus operator, Morebus, has invested £13.5m in 49 new Euro 6 Low Emission double deck buses for the BCP area, as part of their commitment to the Enhanced Partnership with the Council.
The BCP area suffers from significant traffic congestion, and this affects both bus journey times and service reliability overall. Tackling this issue is key to ensure the bus is a viable mode of choice for journeys across the conurbation.
Funding has therefore been secured through the BSIP to review areas that have been identified by Enhanced Partnership members as causing significant delays to bus services. These are Pokesdown/Southbourne, Purewell, Westbourne and Bournemouth Travel Interchange to the Town Centre. Schemes are therefore being developed and delivered for each of these key areas.
Bournemouth Travel Interchange to Town Centre
The key corridor from Bournemouth Travel Interchange to Gervis Place is the highest priority for improvement as it is used by 22 buses in each direction per hour. Seasonal traffic volumes (to the beach car parks in particular) cause significant congestion and hence delay to these bus services. This results in both increased journey times and delays across the bus network.
A public engagement exercise was undertaken between 27 February 2024 and 2 April 2024 on proposed improvements to this key corridor and this showed widespread support for the outline proposals. 72% of respondents supported the key objectives of the scheme as follows:
- Improve journey times and reduce delays for buses by providing two-way bus movements along old Christchurch Rd.
- Encourage greater bus use by improving passenger waiting facilities with Real Time Information displays and CCTV.
- Reduce congestion and improve traffic flow.
- Improve access to Bournemouth Town Centre, Lansdowne and Railway station.
This feedback enabled more detailed plans to be drawn up and a public consultation exercise was then held between 16 April 2025 and 12 May 2025. This again showed support for the plans. Traffic Regulation Orders were therefore advertised between 22 August 2025 and 12 September 2025 and following consideration of comments have now been approved. The project therefore entered the delivery phase in January 2026.
A summary of the works is as follows:
Westover Road (construction from January 2026)
The following improvements will be delivered:
- Two new, larger bus shelters with real-time information displays and CCTV.
- Accessibility improvements on the southern side of Westover Road, with raised boarding kerbs provided to allow easy access onto the bus.
- Essential reconstruction of road following subsidence in the area.
- Levelling and widening the footway, cleaning and re-laying of the paving.
- Upgrading uncontrolled pedestrian crossings for improved visibility and accessibility.
- Upgrading the pedestrian crossing outside the Pavilion with smart technology equipment.
- Improving signage and street lighting improvements.
- Removing old tree stumps – all other trees to be retained.
During this period, work will be carried out in three phases:
- Phase 1 (January 2026): outside the Pavilion, between the entry and exit of the car park.
- Phase 2 (February – mid-March 2026): from just west of the Pavilion car park exit to the most westerly entrance/exit of the Pinewalk Art exhibition area.
- Phase 3 (mid-March – end of April 2026): Pinewalk Art exhibition entrance to the junction with Gervis Place.
To enable the works to be carried out safely the following traffic management will be in place:
- Temporary closure of the left-hand lane (including bus lane) on Westover Road, from Pavilion car park exit to the traffic lights with Gervis Place.
- Pedestrian diversions and temporary crossings.
- Temporary suspension of parking on the north-east side of Westover Road during phase 2 to allow space for the temporary crossing.
- Temporary reduction of coach capacity in front of the Pavilion to accommodate relocated bus stops during phases 2 & 3.
- Temporary relocation of taxi ranks to the north-east side of the road during phase 3.
- Temporary suspension of the Beryl bike bay for the duration of the works.
For information about bus services during the works please visit www.morebus.co.uk
Old Christchurch Road (anticipated construction from January 2026)
The following improvements will be delivered:
- Reconfiguration of sections of on-street parking to improve access and permit two-way bus use.
- New bus stop, shelter with real time information and CCTV opposite Lorne Park Road.
- New bus shelter with real time information and CCTV by Lansdowne Crescent (O’Neil’s).
- Junction build outs to improve visibility at crossing points.
- Public realm improvements including new trees.
- Resurfacing and relining of road.
Gervis Place (anticipated construction from May 2026)
The following improvements will be delivered:
- Reconfiguration of junction with Hinton Road and Gervis Place to permit two-way bus use.
- Upgrading of pedestrian crossing with smart technology equipment.
- Upgrading of nine new bus shelters, replacing all of the current life expired structures. Larger shelters will be provided with improved seating, real time information displays and CCTV.
- Widening pavements on the Northern (shops) side, with raised boarding kerbs installed to provide easy access onto the bus at all stops in Gervis Place.
- Providing a new pedestrian crossing point at the bottom of Old Christchurch Road to improve access to bus stops and the Gardens.
- Improving road and pavements, which will be re-surfaced and relined throughout.
Contact details
Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the relevant team:
- Enquiries about BSIP scheme and funding: public.transport@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
- Enquiries about design and construction of the scheme: transformingtravel@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
