The transport options within such a large residential area as Poole/ Bournemouth/ Christchurch ought to support sustainability by encouraging people to walk, cycle, use public transport or car share ahead of private, single-occupant car journeys, especially when the start and end of the journey are within the local area.

Poole Agenda Twenty One are keen supporters of integrated transport initiatives for the local area (e.g. DARTS). We also campaign to maintain and improve our links with the main rail network; we campaign for cycling facilities in a number of local cycling forums, and support any initiatives for reducing road traffic and congestion.

If you are interested in any of these and would like to offer your help, or would like us to help you, please contact Andy Hadley on 01202 389782.

The Borough of Poole are proposing to make the route through Penn Hill a primary transport corridor between Bournemouth and Poole, to ease congestion in Parkstone and along Poole Road. However, this route has long been a cycle route, and this decision is being contested by local cycling groups and local residents.

Increasing the provision of buses along the Poole Bournemouth corridor has proved very popular, and both Wilts and Dorset and the Yellow Buses have increased the number and frequency of services.

There is an exciting proposal for a local integrated transport systems known as the Dorset Area Rapid Transport System, or DARTS. This would be a single-ticket system across mainline services, local light rail and bus services. New light rail links would be developed.

Click here for full details of the DARTS proposal.

Contact Andy Hadley on (01202) 389782 for further details.

Poole Agenda Twenty One have been promoting the following rail options.

Trains to run every 5 minutes between Hamworthy and Christchurch. This would reduce the current high congestion and also reduce the extra congestion which will result from Poole Regeneration activities.

Rail link to the Swanage railway; light rail links from the main line to Bournemouth and Christchurch town centres; and light rail links from the main line to northern suburbs e.g. Ferndown and Wimborne, including Bournemouth Hospital and Airport.

We have recently been lobbying the Borough of Poole about the proposed changes in rail services with various franchises being tendered. The new proposals from the UK government actually reduce the local rail provision.Please contact Derek English on (01202) 687031 if you are interested in local rail or light rail transport issues.

Local bus provision has historically been divided, largely between Bournemouth and Poole Services, Wilts and Dorset and Yellow Buses respectively. Whilst this has provided an element of competition it has not provided local customers with the best service.

PA21 have long been lobbying for integration of services so that a single ticket purchase can be made for travelling anywhere in the conurbation. We have also suggested a combined timetable; links to rail connections; ferry connections and airport connections.

If you are interested in pursuing this goal, or would like to contribute in any way, please call Derek English on (01202) 687031.

Poole Agenda Twenty One supports the development of local facilities for cyclists - wide, single-use cycle lanes wherever possible. Current proposals we support include a harbour cycle trail. Click here for full details.

We also lobby for improved cycle facilities on trains, and would like to see facilties for cyclists on buses.

In the UK, Poole has the advantage of being a coastal town, and so one other form of transport available locally is maritime transport – boats and ships.

Although there are currently ferry services from Poole to Brownsea Island, Swanage and Cherbourg, Poole Agenda 21 have suggested the following routes.

Poole – Swanage: A significant part of the population of Swanage work in the centre of either Poole or Bournemouth. A ferry service could act both as a commuter link and a tourist attraction. Purbeck council have commissioned a study into this. We have proposed promotion of a circular 'public transport' day trip route utilising the Ferry, Steam train and Red buses. This has been passed to Purbeck and Poole Tourism Departments.

Poole – Torbay: The geography makes this route far shorter than the road alternatives in both directions from Poole. There is significant tourist traffic which could make transport by boat part of the tourist experience.