Weymouth Station Gateway Project- Have Your Say!

Press release and photo courtesy of Dorset Coast Forum

Weymouth train station is set to see some significant improvements to create a more welcoming, attractive, safer and user-friendly space for visitors and residents, and the Dorset Coast Forum (DCF) is keen for you to have your say.

DCF want to know how the local community use the area, how they think it could be redesigned to be more pedestrian, cyclist and bus friendly, and be a more welcoming place for visitors. The project is funded by the South Western Railway Customer and Communities Improvement Fund (SWR CCIF) and is being led by Dorset Coast Forum in partnership with Dorset Council, Weymouth BID, Public Health Dorset and Weymouth Town Council.

Dorset Coast Forum (DCF) Coordinator, Rhiannon Jones, said:
“We hope people will take this opportunity to have their say on what they would like to see in the area before designs are drawn up. After a temporary delay during the restrictions of Covid-19, we are happy to be able to get going. Although we have parameters we need to work within, we want to ensure we have a design that makes it a more attractive, safer and easier to use the space for both residents and visitors.”

The aim is to transform the first impressions of Weymouth station and make changes that will benefit local businesses and residents and improve the visitor experience. The main focus of the project is to enhance the look and feel of the area, improve pedestrian and traffic flow in the station forecourt, have more joined up sustainable transport links, and create a railway heritage park which will be used as a cycle and walking link through to the station.

Richard Drax, Member of Parliament for South Dorset, commented:
“I am happy to support this development because of the benefits this could bring to local businesses and the community. Weymouth station has been waiting a long time for better sustainable transport links and a more joined up strategy – this project will be a good link in a list of improvements that could be made to Weymouth transport network.”

Mark Youngman, Customer and Communities Improvement Fund Manager for South Western Railway, said:
“We are all keen to move this project forward and are pleased to be working in partnership with the Dorset Coast Forum and other partners to improve the forecourt. There is clear support for the project, and we look forward to seeing a new and improved area.”

Please visit www.dorsetcoasthaveyoursay.co.uk and complete the online survey where you will also find more detailed information about the project. The closing date to have your say is Midnight on the 31st August.

Weymouth Station Gateway is a partnership project, led by the Dorset Coast Forum, and funded by the South Western Railway Customer and Communities Improvement Fund with additional funding from Dorset Council, Weymouth BID and Weymouth Town Council. DCF will work with the aforementioned project partners and other key stakeholders to deliver this project.

Dorset Coast Forum is an independent neutral partnership organisation who work to promote the social, economic and environmental benefits of the Dorset coast and the surrounding seas.