Residents in Rodwell have submitted a complaint to Dorset Council accusing it and Portland Port of breaching a number of rules and regulations.

As previously reported, residents of Rodwell Avenue, Wyke Regis, were stunned after the council overturned its decision not to use North Quay for cruise ship shuttle buses transporting passengers to and from Portland Port.  

A group of residents have been growing concerned over the drop-off location for the shuttle buses, launching Freedom of Information requests and holding protests over the issue.

Now, the group of residents have submitted a complaint to Dorset Council after hearing from the body that a risk assessment was not carried out on the Port’s operation at the mini-roundabout on Spring Road until May 2024, a year after the issue was first raised.

The buses drop off tourists at the mini-roundabout on Newtons Road and Spring RoadThe buses drop off tourists at the mini-roundabout on Newtons Road and Spring Road (Image: Cristiano Magaglio) In the complaint, the residents ask the council: “How did the council find it appropriate to permit an operation dropping thousands of passengers in a residential street over the course of more than a year, without in fact risk assessing that operation? DCC’s procedures, relationship with the Port and decision making process must be revisited.”

The residents go on to claim that the council decided to carry out an assessment after receiving multiple emails and letters submitted by the public.

Whilst the residents understand that the new North Quay car park could not be used until it had been risk assessed, they say that the council’s logic and decision making is ‘difficult to comprehend’ after ‘thousands of coach drops’ have been made on a residential street with no risk assessment, but not to an ‘empty car park.’

Further to this, residents claim the risk assessment was not carried out independently, but by the council itself.

The recommendations from the risk assessment mentions that the road is actively managed, with only one bus at a time allowed to stop, however residents say that the port has breached this ‘consistently and repeatedly’ throughout the summer.

A shuttle bus dropping passengers off in AugustA shuttle bus dropping passengers off in August (Image: Supplied) Residents added that the port has breached Rule 242, 243 and 244 of the Highway Code saying that they have seen buses; park 10 metres from a junction, park in front of an entrance to a property and left a vehicle in a position where it causes unnecessary obstruction of the road.

Residents have asked for the council to confirm what steps it looks to take to ensure the port will comply with law, and if not, why it does not intend to do so.

A spokesperson for Portland Port said: “The port operates the shuttle service in accordance with the guidance and conditions laid down by the Dorset Council.

"Any questions relating to the council’s risk assessment process need to be directed to them.”

A Dorset Council spokesperson said: "We are aware of the concerns made by the resident of Rodwell Avenue, and we will be contacting them directly."