Following a national review by the Department for Transport of the 12 city regions that received a share of the Transforming Cities Fund (TCF), an updated programme of sustainable travel improvements that will be funded through south east Dorset’s TCF programme has been approved and published.

BCP Council and Dorset Council’s ambition to build a fully connected network of six sustainable travel routes across south east Dorset remains. However, as reported at the start of 2023, rising construction, labour and fuel costs, growing inflation and changes to national design standards for cycling infrastructure mean south east Dorset’s original TCF budget, awarded pre-pandemic in March 2020, is no longer sufficient to build the entire network of cycle, walking and bus improvements planned across the region.  No additional funding from the UK Government is available to cover the impact of these unforeseen cost increases.

A link to maps showing the revised programme of schemes for each of the six sustainable travel routes is below. They show the sections that will continue to be constructed and funded through south east Dorset’s TCF and those that will be funded through other sources or deferred until further funding has been secured.

Priority has been given to TCF schemes that link into existing sustainable travel infrastructure, providing an immediate level of connectivity and more continuous travel routes. 

Initial design plans for the deferred sections of the six sustainable travel routes across south east Dorset have been prepared and undergone public consultation.  These sections remain a priority for BCP Council and Dorset Council and will be progressed in future years when additional funding becomes available.

Sustainable travel route maps

Details of the proposed sustainable travel improvements for each of these routes are available here.

Read the news release in full here