Getting along the coast by boat

The coast of the Dorset AONB is the first natural World Heritage Site in the country – the Jurassic Coast is a very special place, a place to be proud of. Increasing traffic already impact heavily on the coast landscape and affects the quality of life of our communities. Congestion, pollution and the hard urbanising features of our rural roads can all have an impact on what makes this unique coast so special. These negative effects are magnified by coastal erosion and sea level rises as car parks and even roads are being lost to the sea.

We want to look into whether small-scale privately operated marine-based transport along the coast, integrated with existing transport modes, could provide a sustainable transport option.

The story so far - dream or reality

In 2009 an initial scoping study looked into how realistic waterborne transport provision could be. As part of this study a small scale survey was undertaken and it was found that 80% of those surveyed would be interested in travelling by boat.

In 2010 a second stage study explored the feasibility of 3 pilot routes: 1) Sidmouth, Seaton, Lyme Regis and West Bay. 2) Swanage, Studland, Poole and Bournemouth. 3) Weymouth and Portland. The stage 2 study examines specific issues with developing services for each of the pilot projects.

Want to know more?

Stage 1 Waterborne Transport Study (stage 1 PDF)

FINAL report (stage 2) Waterborne Transport Study Now available

For further information about the project, contact Sue Mitchell the Dorset AONB Recreation, Access & Transport Officer.