First Wessex and Travel Dorset have worked together to create the new Service 5 route, linking communities of Weymouth, Crossways and Dorchester, the Dorset Echo reported.
The new route is due to launch on Saturday, May 30, and will operate hourly in the summer. Once peak season is over, the route will reduce to run every two hours on Monday to Saturday.
The service is in part replacing the Dorset County Council operated 4A. The council recently reduced the 35 bus services running around Dorchester and rural Dorset to seven as a result of budget cutting.
Simon Newport, General Manager of First Wessex, said: “We’re delighted to be able to step in and maintain the route between Dorchester and Crossways, as well as provide new links to Weymouth and Dorchester for both holidaymakers and local residents.
“This has been made possible with the help of the team at Travel Dorset and Dorset County Council. We will not receive any direct financial support for providing the route, which is the same across the rest of our network.
“Our objective by serving Warmwell Holiday Park and Seaview Holiday Park is to generate enough revenue in the summer to sustain it throughout the winter, but at a lower frequency. During the summer, passengers can expect a bus every hour between Mondays and Saturdays and a two-hourly service on Sundays.
“We hope that the additional communities that we serve with this new route will receive it positively and encourage people to use it. We’re confident that this route will be successful and will provide a great long-term travel solution.”
