THE new summer evening bus service has been hailed a success after the first two weekends of operation.
Almost 300 passengers have taken advantage of the night-time transport link between Lyme Regis and Bridport.
The LB1 service was launched at the beginning of May and will run every Friday and Saturday night until Saturday 26 September.
Ahead of the maiden journey, the mayor of Lyme Regis Cllr Philip Evans and the mayor of Bridport Cllr Anne Rickard, each gave a short speech and pulled the ribbon on the bus.
They were joined on the journey by Josef Davies-Coates, of West Dorset Commons, the organisation which spearheaded the launch of the project and has worked in partnership with Lyme Regis Town Council to get the service on the road.
Along the journey to Lyme Regis, they were joined by parish council representatives from the other villages along the route.
The last bus of the evening on the launch night was met with applause and cheers from passengers waiting to go home after a night out in Lyme Regis.
Cllr Philip Evans, mayor of Lyme Regis, said: “The launch of the new summer evening bus service has been a fantastic success so far.
“It’s been great to see so many people taking advantage of the extended hours, making evenings out more accessible and convenient and boosting the night-time economy.”
The first stop was in Chideock, picking up Cllr Anna Dunn, of Chideock Parish Council, and her husband, who went to Lyme Regis for a meal in a seafront restaurant.
Cllr Dunn said: “This is long-awaited because all the buses finish at about 7pm so we can’t get anywhere in the evening.
“It’s absolutely wonderful – we have never been able to go out for a drink or to a restaurant in Lyme Regis without having to drive home.”
The next stop was in Morecombelake, where the bus was boarded by Cllr Jane Gregory, of Char Valley Parish Council.
Cllr Gregory said: “It’s a big relief to be able to leave home without the car, especially when the tourists arrive and Lyme and Bridport get quite cluttered, so it’s nice to not have to worry about parking.
“I hope the bus will give visitors more of an opportunity to take advantage of the great facilities we have in Bridport and Lyme.”
The final stop was in Charmouth, picking up Cllr Katie Moore, of Charmouth Parish Council.
Cllr Moore said: “It’s a fantastic service for the public, enabling them to enjoy this part of Dorset, using an eco energy transport system.
“It will increase access to different areas on the route for people of all ages. It’s great that anybody with a discretionary bus pass will be able to use their passes on this service.”
The LB1 runs between 6.15pm and 11.30pm, with the first two buses from Bridport and the last bus from Lyme Regis also linking to the X53 service to and from Weymouth.
The normal First Bus fare structure will apply, with a maximum fare of £3 for an adult single trip and a 50% discount for children, with concessionary passes also accepted.
The service has been made possible by a £20,000 grant from Western Gateway STB, the Sub-national Transport Body for the West of England.
The LB1 timetable is available at https://bustimes.org/services/lb1-bridport-bus-station-holm-bush-car-park