Dorset Council Reverses X51 X53 Bus Cuts After Public Backlash

Plans to reduce winter bus services on the X51 and X53 routes in west Dorset, which include key towns such as Dorchester and Bridport, have been reversed following significant public backlash and concerns from students, commuters, and local campaigners. The original timetable proposed a gap in service between 2pm and 6pm on weekdays, which would have severely impacted students attending The Thomas Hardye School and limited connections to the 7:35am train from Axminster to Exeter. Dorset Council and First Bus have now agreed to reinstate the previous winter timetable, restoring continuous weekday services, weekend links, and maintaining stops for Dorset County Hospital. The council acknowledged the importance of these routes for education, work, healthcare, and daily life, and committed to improved consultation with communities for future timetables. A temporary weekday afternoon service has been introduced to help students return home while the full timetable is finalized, with further updates expected soon. Despite the resolution, questions remain about funding sources, and critics have called for an inquiry into how the situation was initially handled.