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News

New Commuter Bus Service to Sandbanks Peninsula

A new early morning bus service to Sandbanks from Poole has been introduced thanks to a partnership between the Borough of Poole and FJB Hotels.

Previously the lack of early morning buses has made it difficult for anyone without their own transport to get to work on the peninsula before 10.00am and for employers such as FJB Hotels, to recruit staff. From Monday 2nd February the new service, which is jointly funded by the Borough of Poole and FJB Hotels, will operate on a daily basis for an experimental period of 6 months.

Shamrock Buses will operate the service which links with a school service operating from Sandbanks. The new service which runs seven days a week and is available for all, includes Newtown and Ashley Road areas as well as the town centre and railway station and will connect with other bus services from the outer areas of Poole.

Councillor Ron Parker, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Local Economy, said: "By linking the service with the school bus it has been possible to provide a cost effective solution to the lack of early morning public transport to Sandbanks. The new bus service will reduce the reliance on private cars in this already congested area and help hotels and other employers to recruit staff. It will also really benefit early morning visitors who want to make the best of the beach during the summer or perhaps even take an early morning dip before work."

John Butterworth, Managing Director FJB Hotels, said: "The biggest single challenge facing the operation of our three hotels on Sandbanks is one of transport. FJB Hotels are the largest employer on the peninsular and our recruitment problems have been exacerbated by the fact that the first bus to Sandbanks has traditionally not arrived until after 9.30am, which is well after breakfast! Our staff are therefore forced to either live-in or use their cars, adding to the already acute traffic and parking problems in this beautiful part of the World. We are delighted to work with both the Borough of Poole and Shamrock buses to find a public transport solution. This early morning bus service can be used by everyone, will widen employment opportunities for all and, as FJB Hotels are looking to launch a youth training scheme throughout their hotels, this service will be able to connect with buses and trains to bring in potential staff from areas such as Hamworthy and Canford Heath estates."

John McVey, Passenger Transport Manager, Transportation Services, Borough of Poole, Tel: 01202 262 221