Plans for a community bus service are progressing with the hopes that it will help to ‘fill in the gaps.’

Weymouth Town Councillor David Harris of the Radipole Ward proposed the plan for a bus which would better serve communities with infrequent and no bus services.

He brought the idea before his fellow councillors at a Weymouth Town Council full council meeting, with everyone voting in favour of the proposal.

Cllr Harris said: “It will try and enable community groups to have access to other places that they want to get to but have no chance whatsoever as they are without a bus service.”

He suggested that it could get people to and from places such as Tumbledown or to other bus stops where a First Bus service runs heading to areas like Preston, Dorchester and Portland.

Tumbledown is a 27-acre former farm at Southill owned by Weymouth Town Council and is currently undergoing a massive refurbishment.

The next stage of the proposal is to look into the viability of this – with Cllr Harris referring to it as ‘a serious research project.'

He added: “Residents have contacted me since the proposal appeared in the newspaper.”

READ MORE: Hopes for new bus service for Weymouth

In response to the proposal, Cllr Louie O’Leary of the Littlemoor ward told the meeting that he was ‘fully in support of this idea,’ announcing that himself and Cllr Steve Dickens of the Preston ward would be ‘more than happy to be involved.’

He also suggested that ‘the bus routes in Weymouth remains more or less unchanged’ and that this proposal ‘could fill in the gaps.’

Cllr Ryan Hope of the Westham West ward added: “I am very supportive. I am surprised that it has not come sooner.”

He further suggested that the service could be used for ‘sport and recreational groups’ that may be struggling to find the costs to get to and from tournaments.

Cllr Gill Taylor also of the Westham West Ward asked if Chickerell could be considered for the community bus as well, saying: “Residents can’t get to Wyke doctors surgery and it’s a £25 taxi for them.”

She added: “Weymouth doesn’t stop at the boundary.”