Residents in Weymouth say they are ‘very disappointed’ to hear of a U-turn on the decision to move shuttle buses to North Quay Car Park.

As previously reported, residents in Rodwell Avenue and the surrounding areas have been lobbying to Dorset Council and Portland Port regarding the drop-off location for cruise ship passengers using Portland Port. This included an open letter and protesting at the drop-off point during cruise calls.

Now, following the council’s decision to keep using Rodwell Avenue, Newton Road and Spring Road for the cruise ship passengers, residents have written in to the Echo to express their concern.

The letter says: “The residents of Rodwell Avenue and surrounding areas are very disappointed to hear that there has been a U-turn on the decision to move the Shuttle Bus operation to North Quay.

“We find it hard to understand why our local Dorset councillors were not consulted.

“It means, will we continue to get in excess of 140 buses per day driving down to the drop off point, turning and driving back up the same way, so 280 lots of noise, fumes and vibrations.

“On July 3, two ships docked at the Port, with a total of 4,300 passengers, so the roads were ridiculously busy.”

Queues of people waiting for a cruise ship shuttle busQueues of people waiting for a cruise ship shuttle bus (Image: Supplied) The letter then goes on to say that the tourists had ‘no shelter from the heat for the queues of passengers’ and also raised the issue that there are no facilities in the area and no room for residents to pass.

Continuing, the letter says: “We enjoy speaking with the passengers at the drop off point, finding out where they have travelled from, where they are going onto and we tell them how wonderful Weymouth is.

“Almost every single one is sympathetic to our complaint and can’t understand why the buses don’t take them directly into town and instead drop them in the middle of a building site, especially older passengers who are not able to make it even as far as Town Bridge. 

A taxi passing the cruise ship shuttle busA taxi passing the cruise ship shuttle bus (Image: Supplied) “We hope that Dorset Council will reconsider their decision and find a more suitable location for the Shuttle Buses.”

A spokesperson for Dorset Council, said: “The activity of the cruise ship coaches and their passengers is entirely the responsibility of Portland Port. Dorset Council’s role in this matter is to ensure the Port complies with Highways law.

“Officers and local councillors have worked to help facilitate the arrangements Portland Port has put in place at Spring Road. North Quay car park will only be used if and when the Port advises us in advance that they will have multiple cruise ships docking at the same time and an increase in the number of coaches may cause a safety issue.”