EVEN without a congestion charge for motorists visiting Purbeck, it is feared another traffic bombshell could set Swanage adrift to become a backwater by-passed by visitors and holidaymakers.

There has barely been time for people living in the area to draw breath after discovering council officials were considering charging £1.50 for every motorist driving in or out of Purbeck on the A351.

But in the same report that contained the controversial congestion charge idea is another scheme that would upgrade the Bere Regis/Wool road as a main route to the Jurassic Coast region.

It is feared the new route would effectively encourage visitors to bypass Swanage.

The possibility was raised at a meeting of Swanage Town Council as it considered the impact on tourism if a blanket A351 congestion charge was introduced.

Among other traffic options put forward by Dorset County Council is for a Bere Regis by-pass to the Wool C6 road. Swanage town clerk Alan Leeson said: "Proposals to go through Bere Regis and Wool would mean Swanage and this section of Purbeck would be by-passed."

Mr Leeson said tourism and hospitality business in the town were concerned by the ideas presented in the county's Purbeck Transportation Study document - which although it had been published in February had only come to light in the town a few weeks ago.

Questions continue to be asked as to why so many organisations were not notified about the consultation document until the Daily Echo broke the news on the eve of the deadline for responses to the report.

Swanage town council has now been given an extra 28 days beyond the September 30 cut-off to make its representations.

General manager of Swanage Railway Nick Brown said he was surprised the railway volunteers were not consulted about the proposals to reconnect the Swanage service with the mainline track at Wareham.

Dorset County Council transportation planning manager Paul Willis said: "We agreed to extend the consultation period for Swanage Town Council because it did not receive the initial consultation letter we sent out in June.

"The town mayor is also away at the moment, and we are obviously very keen to hear the authority's views on the transportation study.

Mr Willis stressed: "However, this is a one-off exception because of special circumstances, and we are not extending the deadline generally."

"Swanage Railway was among the organisations contacted directly about the study back in June," he added.

"It was invited to attend one of our public exhibitions to learn more about the proposals, and provided with a questionnaire with which to express its views."

First published: Oct 6