A long awaited regular rail passenger service between Swanage and Wareham in Dorset, has been given high priority status in plans to improve transport links across the West of England between 2025 and 2035.
Extra bus routes across Purbeck and additional train services between Wareham and Brockenhurst, are also on the wish list put together by the Western Gateway regional transport group which is made up of local authorities in the South West including Dorset Council.

Community buses like the 2RN service to Arne could help connect Purbeck villages
Transport strategy up to 2035
The Western Gateway is one of seven transport bodies in England and its area stretches from the Cotswolds in the north, to Portland in the south and includes Bristol and Bath.
It is working directly with the Department for Transport, National Highways, Network Rail and Homes England, with the aim of giving a unified voice to the region’s priorities in order to boost economic growth.
There’s 38 proposals in the Western Gateway Strategic Investment Plan which form the local councils’ recommendations to the government for investment in transport over the next ten years.
Now local residents, businesses, and interest groups who live in the region are being invited to complete an online survey and say what they think before Sunday 2nd February 2025.
Top of the list is a scheme called the South East rural mobility pilot which proposes to introduce improved bus services to rural areas including Purbeck.
It focuses on community buses for smaller villages, following the success of schemes like the 2RN service which was trialled to carry passengers from Wareham to the RSPB Arne nature reserve and to Norden Park for onward travel to Swanage.
Also a rail scheme called the Dorset Metro features high up in the list which would see extra train services from Wareham to Poole and Bournemouth, as well as an hourly shuttle service to Brockenhurst.
Perhaps the most welcome mention for Swanage residents is a regular rail service between Swanage and Wareham which has been on the cards for years but has lacked the backing of long term government investment. It’s now in the document as one of the high priorities.

Despite a growth in cycle hire and ownership, cycling and walking routes have been omitted from the transport document
Vital for public to have their say
Nick Ward of the Purbeck Transport Action Group (PTAG) said:
“It is very important for the public to have their say, and PTAG will certainly wish to provide input on the shortlist of 38 transport investment priorities proposed for the west of England region over the next decade.
“PTAG has been invited to take part in Dorset Council’s meeting on the rural mobility project and we will be pressing for some idea of time scales.
“We see the time frame of 2025 to 2035 as medium to long term rather than looking to provide immediate solutions to help the current problems we have, of a huge influx of visitors every summer and how we can encourage them to get out of their cars and use public transport.
“That comes back to the availability of public transport and we are looking particularly at improving the community buses service which will connect outlying communities to the main routes and give places like Kimmeridge and Worth Matravers public transport of some sort.
“We would also like to improve cycle and walking routes into the main transport hubs like Swanage and Wareham, but they don’t seem to put so much emphasis on those.”

Wareham Station could see more services as part of a proposed Dorset Metro scheme
“Dependent on government funding”
Nick Ward added:
“Regular services between Wareham and Swanage and the Metro scheme between Wareham and Brockenhurst would benefit Purbeck greatly, along with more frequent bus services in Purbeck.
“But we see this statement as more about aspirations than firm schemes, as there is little detail attached to them. Any funding would come via the Department of Transport, so they are all dependent on government funding.
“For example, the proposed Dorset Metro Shuttle service would get A-level students out to Brockenhurst College, but the document implies it is dependent on the closure of the level crossing in Poole.
“When you realise that it is envisaged as part of a wider redevelopment scheme of the shopping centre in Poole, with high level walkways to get from one side of the rail line to the other, you see we are talking about a very long term, very expensive scheme.”

The transport plan includes 38 shortlisted schemes across an area from Dorset to Gloucestershire
Estimated cost of £4 billion
The 38 shortlisted schemes on the transport plan – at an estimated cost of £4 billion – have been selected to best support the delivery of five key aims for the region’s transport.
Those are sustainable economic and housing growth, reducing emissions, enabling access to services and opportunities for all, easing freight movements and improving transport links between the north and south of the region which stretches from Gloucestershire to Dorset.

The first day of the Swanage Railway trial regular passenger service between Swanage and Wareham in 2023
“Encouraging noises in the past”
Nick Ward, of PTAG, said:
“We very actively supported and encouraged having the regular rail link between Swanage and Wareham which was run on a trial basis in 2017 and 2023.
“The trial service was quite well used and very well supported, but the main obstacle was financing the cost of insurance and certification, and really we would need Government assistance as Swanage Railway can’t afford it.
“We have had some encouraging noises in the past from central government and other rail companies like South Western Railways, who are all for it because it would encourage more traffic on the main line.
“It is realistic, but there needs to be some agreement on funding.”

Morebus has improved bus services in Purbeck, but transport campaigners say there is more work to be done
Scope to improve bus services
Nick Ward added:
“There is definitely scope for improving bus services in Purbeck, especially with better services in the evenings and at weekends, when Purbeck isn’t served as well as the main conurbations.
“There have been improvements by local providers like MoreBus, but it tends to be mostly in the summer.
“We would like to see outlying communities served all year round by community bus services, an extension of the Purbeck Shuttle service which runs to RSPB Arne.
“The plan is to extend that to cover more areas from Wareham station, so similar services could be run to Durlston and possibly to more remote villages like Kimmeridge and Worth Matravers.
“We are encouraging Western Gateway to take that up. Consultation is a good start, we now just want the talk to translate into action.”

Dorset Council cabinet member Jon Andrews has urged local residents to comment on the plan
“Better economic growth”
Dorset Council cabinet member for place services, Jon Andrews, said:
“I strongly encourage residents and businesses to comment on the draft strategic investment plan.
“The final document will be vital for securing extra investment from central government and will improve connectivity across our region over the next decade.
“It will also better support transportation of goods for businesses and help to provide better economic growth in Dorset.
“The way we travel has a major impact on carbon emissions and the strategies set out here will help us achieve our net zero target.”
Further information
- Read the Western Gateway Strategic Investment Plan for 2025-2035
- Have your say through Western Gateway’s online survey