THREE bus depots in North Dorset could close within the next year in favour of a new, modern depot at the Blandford Heights Industrial Estate.

Wilts & Dorset and Damory Coaches plan to relocate their bases in Salisbury Road, the Sunrise Business Park and Clump Farm and say the move could bring new jobs and a better bus service.

They have lodged a planning application with North Dorset District Council to convert the Old Allotment Site into a bus depot with spaces for 80 buses.

Alex Carter, managing director of Wilts & Dorset, said: "The Salisbury Road depot is inadequate for modern needs. It's quite outdated and would take a lot of work to bring up to modern standards.

"At the moment coaches have to reverse on and off the main road, which isn't ideal.

"If anything this displays our strong commitment to the area. The new depot will provide for more buses than we have in the town at the moment - around 20 more. And it'll be good news for travel and employment in the town.

"I imagine there will probably be some driving jobs created; possibly another 20 to 30 new jobs.

"Nothing to do with this depot project will be bad news."

The sites currently occupied by Damory Coaches are leased and Wilts & Dorset plans to sell its Salisbury Road site.

The mayor of Blandford, Cllr Esme Butler, has not been given an opportunity to view the plans yet but she welcomed news it could bring more jobs.

She added: "I hope the new depot will bring improvements to the service locally, particularly at weekends to the main hospitals and train stations."

The plans will be discussed at a forthcoming council meeting.

First published: October 18