April 9, 2008 Wednesday
24-HOUR BUS BID
Bournemouth Echo
A NEW night bus service is to be launched in Bournemouth in a bid to reinvigorate the night-time economy.
Wilts and Dorset will start running the 24-hour bus service in June, taking clubbers and pub-goers from Gervis Place to Poole, Charminster and through Boscombe to the Iford roundabout.
But the move has dismayed taxi drivers, who know they will not be able to compete on price with bus fares.
Ashley Miller, chair of Bournemouth Taxi and Private Hire Joint Committee, warned it could decimate trade and put some drivers out of work.
"This will affect the taxi trade big time," he said.
"We are struggling as it is at the moment and Saturday night is really the only time anyone makes any money.
"We are reliant on holidaymakers and people going to restaurants and bars in town. If they're not doing that, it hits us really hard.
"With the night bus you can expect a lot of people out of work. They won't be able to afford to run their cabs."
The night buses will run every half-hour on Friday and Saturdays and are set to run from June to December.
Bournemouth council and Wilts and Dorset will review take-up and decide if the scheme should be permanent.
Bournemouth's night-time economy has been going through a tough time lately, with the smoking ban, cheap supermarket alcohol and tight financial climate all blamed for falling visitor numbers.
The launch of the night bus is designed to help address that issue while also promoting the benefits of public transport.
Bournemouth council is subsidising local routes and Wilts and Dorset is funding the service to Poole.
James Duncan, transportation services manager at Bournemouth council, said: "By the end of December, it should be clear how successful it is.
"If it's as successful as we all hope it will be, we can look at having it on other nights as well."
Conservative Cllr Robert Lawton, cabinet member with responsibility for transport, said: "I'm quite excited that this will turn out to be an extremely beneficial service to people across the borough."
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for good, due to the smoking ban, the only good thing thats come out of it is there are now more runs to and from Selkirk.
