Jurassic Coast Travel Reimagined: How One Bus Journey Is Breathing New Life Into South West England’s Seaside Towns

Saturday, July 19, 2025

Travellers on nan gorgeous Jurassic Coast from Bournemouth, done Sandbanks, Studland and into Swanage utilizing nan Purbeck Breezer work person been rekindling their emotion matter pinch leisurely spot of coastal explorers — from conscionable £3.50 1 way! This exceptional bus-and-ferry acquisition besides serves up stunning views and cliff-hugging coastal charm – and has an expanding domiciled successful kick-starting Dorset and nan South West of England’s betterment arsenic we caput towards nan extremity of 2020.

Cost-effective Seafront Access Boosting Authentic Visitor Figures

Recent agrarian and tourism-connected carrier study by nan Department for Transport The study by nan Department for Transport besides underscores that bully worth scenic nationalist carrier links tin person a awesome effect connected visitant choices. With a no-brainer value constituent to supply a seamless bus-and-ferry journey, nan Purbeck Breezer is aiding nan redistribution of time travel and staycation postulation from congested hotspots to nan lesser-known coastal destinations.

Tourism South West points retired that for summertime 2024 visitant numbers to Swanage and Studland were up by almost 18% compared pinch nan erstwhile twelvemonth – and that location was a important hike successful nan usage of nationalist transport. Local businesses saw a important summation successful footfall arsenic soon arsenic this coastal way was launched.

Boost to Tourism Economy, astatine various Destinations

The study is based connected location tourism information from VisitEngland and recovered that visitors to coastal destinations walk connected mean £1,100 per travel connected accommodation, food, attractions, and section transport. By giving group easy entree to 1 coastline astatine galore different seaside locations nan way multiplies nan economical publication of each visitant – enabling them to sojourn cafés, shops, vessel prosecute businesses, practice attractions, etc successful aggregate towns.

Solihull -known for its powerspout Medieval moats, a labyrinth and transportation and putt people and its chalkpit- was visited by 250,000 successful August 2024. Local Council statistic grounds these visitors for hosted tourism bringing almost 12million pounds to nan section system presumably this accrued pinch greater entree to transport.

Supporting Sustainable and Inclusive Tourism

UKs National Tourism Strategy cites nan request to trim c emissions from recreation by encouraging usage of nationalist transport. The Purbeck Breezer helps to present this imagination by offering a sustainable, environmentally friends replacement to nan car. Dorset Council’s biology effect appraisal states that each autobus rider progressive emits 70% little CO₂ than if they drove nan aforesaid travel alone.

Its fresh pinch nan government’s Inclusive Transport Strategy is besides obvious, providing basal recreation solutions for nan young, nan aged and those without cars, making judge that this cleanable spot of coastline is accessible for all.

Extending Seasonal Staycation Opportunities

At a clip erstwhile July and August are usually busy, places specified arsenic Studland and Swanage person struggled pinch overcrowding. Staggered presence patterns are recommended by carrier planners utilizing nan National Tourism Data. The Breeze work supports this done multi-stop, elastic journeys. Hotels and guesthouses on nan route, meanwhile, are now said to person been buoyed by successful overnight package deals, which are besides helping to guarantee visitors walk longer successful nan area, particularly during nan week.

By spreading nan travel of visitors passim nan year, nan way tin thief prolong nan system without straining nan environment.

Boosting Interconnected Coastal Experiences

And distant from travel, nan Breeze way helps to enrich nan acquisition for visitors connected nan creation trails successful nan South West Coast Path and nan quality reserves of nan Isle of Purbeck. National way managers person said that nan measurement of way users jumped by 20% past summer, and hundreds were taking nan operation of a autobus and a ferry to scope celebrated hiking points. Self-Publishers successful Corfe Castle equipped pinch transfer-friendly guides had seen a 30% summation successful bookings and could straight property maturation to way access.

Evening Fun and Dining Gains successful Bournemouth and Swanage

Train-and-travel world tourism has been revitalised present pinch tempo seeing important increases successful evening system footfall. Bournemouth Entertainment Board statistic propose location will beryllium 15% maturation successful post-5pm income successful June – August 2024. Visitors are topping up sunset formation strolls successful Bournemouth pinch evenings successful Swanage’s historical restaurants and pubs, pinch section theatre programming and seasonal eating events keeping communities together.

Victory for Operators and Heritage Attractions

The Swanage Steam Railway is simply a awesome tourer attraction and it partners pinch autobus operators to effort to pull walking tourists. Ticketing partners supply integrated rail-bus discounts, and excursion numbers attest to nan benefit: Passenger measurement for June–September 2024 surged 12% from associated trading ventures. National Heritage Lottery Fund proposal says that blending them into a wider collection’s stableness brings greater financial resilience to a practice site.

Strategic Collaboration Delivering Regional Growth

Multi-stakeholder: A transportation group comprising of Dorset Council, Visit Dorset and section carrier providers. The reappraisal past twelvemonth – citing Department for Transport backing frameworks – recovered nan Purbeck Breezer to beryllium a nationalist best-practice illustration of a associated tourism, carrier and sustainability approach. Evidence-based plans are now trying to emulate those aforesaid coastal bus-ferry services successful Cornwall, Norfolk and Pembrokeshire.

Investment Returns & Future Expansion

What would it look like? The provisional scheme is to tally successful nan enarthrosis seasons, to supply play steam train connections and to widen ferry timetables. Economic modelling conducted by Dorset Council & VisitEngland indicates that nan payback could beryllium x3*: i.e. each £1 finance successful way promotion could trigger £3 of visitant spending. The phase-one rollout is projected to inject £15 cardinal of tourism revenues complete 5 years.

Final Thoughts

For passengers disembarking successful Sandbanks, to respect ferries floating connected glassy water, aliases soaking up Swanage’s steam train nostalgia, nan Purbeck Breezer transports much than group – it preserves memories, sustains livelihoods, and supports sustainable tourism. Humble though it is, this £3.50 travel ripples crossed coastal communities, practice sites and visitant experiences, showing really observant carrier finance tin protect and unfastened up England’s coastal soul.

References:
Department for Transport agrarian tourism carrier survey, VisitEngland location tourism economical effect data, Dorset Council biology assessment, Tourism South West coastal carrier statistics, Visit Dorset tourism strategy