BCP and Dorset Motorists’ Group

 

 

The aim of the BCP and Dorset Motorists’ Group is to improve the experience and protect the interests of all road users in the BCP Area and throughout Dorset.

 

The Group’s main purpose is to be a campaign and a political lobby group in support of the above objective. We are not a road safety campaign group. We are also not a driver education group. We fully support appropriate road safety measures when they are based on data driven decision making eg KSI or Crash map statistics . We do not believe transport and infrastructure policies should be politically or ideologically driven.

 

As a group do not condone illegal activity by any road users including cyclists, specifically; illegal speeding, illegal parking outside schools , the illegal use of mobile phones, or ignoring traffic lights or road signage. All road users should respect the Highway Code.

 

 

The original aspiration of this group at its formation was to develop partnerships with Local Authorities and ensure all transport schemes had a positive impact for residents, visitors and businesses. With the aim of helping to ease traffic congestion and ensure that all road traffic schemes were both proportionate and fair to all road users.

 

Our stance was one of being “ apolitical “ when we were formed in February 2024. We have always stated that we are willing to support any political party of any colour whose transport and infrastructure policies protects the interests of Motorists, the elderly and those less mobile.

 

Over the last two years, despite our best efforts and our various democratic attempts at engagement with both BCP and Dorset Councils this has not been possible. The Liberal Democrat led administrations at both Councils have failed to respond to our group in any positive or substantive way.

 

We have tried to engage via meetings , both public and private. We submitted and presented a 3500 signature petition to a full council meeting . Despite assurances it would be considered in future policy making, it was subsequently totally ignored. Kicked into the long grass never to be seen again .

 

We attended transport forum meetings / conferences. We have submitted ideas is to the new local transport plan ( 2026-41 ). All our input has either been only paid lip service to or more frequently not even considered. We have continually been met with a closed ear response and a rigid intransigence by BCP Council.

 

BCP’s Council Three Towns Alliance with support from both the Poole People party and the local; Green Party have not only continued their “ War on Motorists “ but they have actually intensified it.

A response to their 2019 self declared “ climate emergency “.

 

Their policies are committed only to the promotion , investment and support of Active Travel measures. Which in reality appears to be only cycling. The current BCP Council administration have publicly stated their objective is to reduce the number of car journeys on local roads by 50% regardless any adverse impact on residents and visitors.

 

Sadly, all our democratic and communication efforts have failed. On that basis, the current position of this group remaining ‘ apolitical “ is now not sustainable. Our role is to work and support our members and represent their views and priorities. Currently those views are absolutely not being listened to by the Liberal Democrat led administrations and their coalition partners.

 

Whilst it is not for this group to tell its members who they should vote for, we have come to the conclusion that the only way forward is a change of Council administration in BCP. In other words as a group , we will now aim to support any political group other than the Liberal Democrat’s, Poole People party or the Green Party.

 

We will now use our influence via our growing membership to publicly oppose and campaign against these political groups who only focus on delivering failing transport and infrastructure policies. These benefit only a small minority of people not the majority of the local population. These political policies have already inflicted so much chaos and disruption on our local roads. They aim to do even more in the future all in the name of their own personal ideological views.

 

They have to be stopped. The only way as local residents we can do this is via the ballot box at future local council elections.

 

The new Town Council Elections are scheduled for May 26 and then full BCP Council Elections in May 2027. We will in future encourage our members to support any candidate or party that does not from part of the current Council Administrations. All the evidence shows they are not willing to listen to residents views. Consultations are routinely ignored and policies implemented on an ideological basis which totally ignores the real needs and priorities of local residents and visitors.

 

This has to stop. So going forward our objective is going to be focused on achieving exactly that. The bigger our group membership becomes , the bigger impact and influence we can have in achieving the vital local political change needed.

 

 

 

• The Group’s priorities are designed to reduce congestion on local roads. Our aim is ensure to that BCP/Dorset Councils acts to support the interests of motorists. That are fully taken into account and not ignored as currently in any decision-making process re our local roads.

• We believe the interests of motorists/business vehicles should be treated by Councils as equal to those of all other road users including those Active Travel.

• We must ensure that all future Local Council transport and infrastructure policies and projects are consistent with the recently issued Government guidance on vital issues such as 20 mph Zones and Low traffic Neighbourhoods (LTN’s).

• We also want to ensure that we protect accessibility on our roads for the less mobile and elderly in our community, who for them, a car is their only transport option.

 

 

 

Local infrastructure

• Ensure that through consultation Councils take into account the above principles. Consultation results should be respected ant ignored by Council Administrations.

• All projects / schemes should have reduced traffic congestion and as their primary objectives.

• A Smart Traffic Management strategy should be considered integral to all road projects.

• A review of existing traffic lights should be undertaken to assess whether they can be changed to be utilised on a part-time basis only.

• A funded and comprehensive approach to improving the condition of our local roads with road surface repair (ie potholes) being the first priority.

• Road repairs to be fit-for-purpose and not quick-fix interim solutions.

• Improved planning, co-ordination and close management of roadworks by both Local Councils and utility contractors.

• Cycle lanes and projects should comply with Government guidelines and residents should be fully consulted, with their views taken into account, before any such schemes are implemented.

• Safety measures to protect all types of road users where shared space is present.

• Sufficient access for Emergency Service Vehicle - access must be maintained at all times.

 

 

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods

• These should only be considered in appropriate areas where safety is the primary concern and demonstrated by accident statistics.They should not be implemented

Local Councils should adhere to Government guidelines.

• Speed reduction measures should only be adopted in areas where there are genuine safety concerns, such as adjacent to schools or housing estates, where visibility may be impaired.

• Such 20 mph limits should be mandatory and not advisory. Dorset Police should ensure their enforcement.

• Where implemented near schools, the 20 mph zones should be on a part-time basis where possible.

 

Car Parking

• All new House/Business Planning consents must include the provision of

adequate car parking to avoid displacement effects on surrounding local roads.

• Local Councils should not view car parks as way of increasing their revenue streams, as this penalises motorists unfairly.

. A seasonal car parking strategy is introduced that does not unfairly penalise or deter visitors to the area.

• Any proposed reduction in public car parking spaces in excess of 15, should be subjected to a local referendum

 

Public Transport

• An improved and integrated approach to Public Transport planning is required.

• Free school buses should be considered the preferred way of getting children to and from school. This should be seen as the default option, as in most European countries.

• Bus utilisation figures should be available and scrutinised to establish if double-decker buses can be replaced by single-decker ones.

• Bus laybys should be reintroduced where they have been removed in recent traffic schemes. Bus laybys should not be removed in the future as part of any new scheme. The removal of these has increased both congestion and carbon emissions, due to the additional delays caused to other road users, by buses stopping on the road itself. This also causes delays for the Emergency Services.

• The frequency of trains running solely from Christchurch to Poole should be increased to every 15 minutes. Trains from Weymouth to Southampton should run at least 3 times each hour.

 

Protecting Accessibility

• The needs of the less mobile and elderly need to be given adequate consideration in road planning equal to that of other road users, such as cyclists and e-scooters.

• The Council should recognise that for these specific groups, cars may be their only option. Ensuring that they are able to use their cars will allow them to take part inactivities.

• Experimental road closures should not be implemented without full and advance consultation with residents. Examples such as the closure of Poole Park Gates,adversely affects access and has the potential to impact on park users mental well-being.