Public transport bus services are generally based on regular operation of transit buses along a route calling at agreed bus stops according to a published public transport timetable .
100-650: The Jurassic Coaster is a bus service operated by the Weymouth branch of First Hampshire & Dorset , running around the Jurassic coastline of the county of Dorset. It features five routes, stretching from Axminster in the west to Poole in the east, with one of the routes in TripAdvisor 's 2018 poll of most scenic bus routes coming in 12th place. The X53 route was introduced in November 1998 by Southern National , and operated at
200-617: A bypass . Routes which start in the town include the A3066 , which heads north through Beaminster towards Crewkerne , and the B3157 coast road to Weymouth . The busiest main route in the Bridport area is the A35 west of the town at Miles Cross, which in 2012 had an average of 15,200 vehicles per day – this was an 85% increase over vehicle numbers in 1983, but a 3% decrease compared to 2007. Other main routes around
300-509: A mint . Bridport's name probably derives from another location nearby. In the early 10th century the Burghal Hidage recorded the existence of a fortified centre or burh in this area, called 'Brydian', which is generally accepted as referring to Bridport. 'Brydian' means 'place at the (River) Bride', and this name may have come from an earlier burh in the Bride Valley a few miles to
400-507: A "low-cost unit" paying lower wages, in order to be able to offer lower fares, using older buses cascaded from a main fleet to also reduce costs. In some sectors, operators such as Megabus (both in the UK and in North America ) have attempted to emulate the low-cost airlines model in order to attract passengers through low fares, by offering no-frills bus services. Public transport bus operation
500-451: A Quaker presence in the town since the middle of the 17th century. George Fox visited the Friends in the town in 1655 and said, "A fine Meeting there is there." The Bridport Quaker Meeting still meets for worship on Sunday and Wednesday mornings. Bridport has a history of nonconformism ; a Dissenters' Academy was built in the town in 1768, and by 1865 the single Anglican church, St Mary's,
600-551: A car. Looking at major injuries only (excluding minor injuries), there were 28 times more injured car occupants than bus occupants. Cars were associated with three cyclist deaths and 42 pedestrian deaths while buses were associated with no cyclist deaths and four pedestrian deaths. [REDACTED] Media related to Bus transport at Wikimedia Commons Bridport Bridport is a market town and civil parish in Dorset , England, 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles (2.4 km) inland from
700-593: A change. In 2017 Dorset County Council cut all rural bus subsidies in the area and so most of the surrounding villages are not served by scheduled services, with the exception of buses provided mainly for school transport but upon which the public is allowed to travel. The nearest port with scheduled passenger services is Poole. The nearest international airports are Exeter and Bournemouth . Primary schools in Bridport are Bridport Primary School, St Mary's CE VC Primary School, St Catherine's RC Primary School and Symondsbury CE VC Primary School. The Sir John Colfox Academy
800-409: A control room, or in the case of large operations, route controllers, who can monitor the level of service on routes and can take remedial action if problems occur. This was made easier with the technological advances of two way radio contact with drivers, and vehicle tracking systems . Urban land-use planning policies are essential for the success of bus transit systems, particularly as mass transit
900-458: A frequency of one bus every three hours between Exeter and Dorchester via Seaton , Lyme Regis , and Bridport . In May 2001, the route was changed east of Bridport to instead serve Abbotsbury and Weymouth . In May 2003, the frequency of the route was increased to two-hourly, the Sunday service became year-round, and some summer services were extended beyond Weymouth to Wareham . In April 2004,
1000-406: A gap in the opposite direction, meaning any passengers on the turned bus need to disembark and continue on a following bus. Also, depending on the location of the bus depot , replacement buses may be dispatched from the depot to fill in other gaps, starting the timetable part way along the route. There is a common cliché that people "wait all day, and then three come along at once", in relation to
1100-724: A majority of shares to General Motors in 1925. From the 1920s, General Motors and others started buying up streetcar systems across the United States with a view to replacing them with buses in what became known as the Great American Streetcar Scandal . This was accompanied by a continuing series of technical improvements: pneumatic "balloon" tires during the early 1920s, monocoque body construction in 1931, automatic transmission in 1936, diesel engines in 1936, 50+ passengers in 1948, and air suspension in 1953. The arrest of Rosa Parks in 1955 for not giving up her seat to
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#17328489466261200-576: A more typical derivation, the town lent its name to the river on which it stood; previously this had been the River Wooth, but it became the River Brit. The Domesday Book recorded that Bridport had 120 houses in the reign of Edward the Confessor (1042–1066). In 1253 the town was awarded its first charter by Henry III , and by the subsequent reign of Edward I Bridport sent two members to Parliament. In
1300-452: A newspaper style format. It mixes local information with comedic made-up news stories. The site allows users to comment on local subjects. Bridport and the surrounding area was used to film Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall 's Channel 4 television programme River Cottage and the BBC dramas Harbour Lights starring Nick Berry and Rockliffe's Folly starring Ian Hogg . West Bay was used to film
1400-428: A phenomenon where evenly timetabled bus services can develop a gap in service followed by buses turning up almost simultaneously. This occurs when the rush hour begins and numbers of passengers at a stop increases, increasing the loading time, and thus delay scheduled service. The following bus then catches up because it begins to be delayed less at stops due to fewer passengers waiting. This is called bus bunching . This
1500-492: A population of 19,200. R J Balson & Son , a butcher's shop on West Allington, is known as "England's Oldest Family Butchers", and claims a continuous line of family butchers back to the year 1515. According to the Institute for Family Business, it is the oldest continuously trading family business in the UK. West Bay is the nearest port to Bridport. West Bay harbour was used by ships carrying cargoes of timber during part of
1600-441: A protected landscape designation of national significance. The town's most notable landmark is the conical Colmers Hill , its distinctive shape and small clump of summit trees being very noticeable from West Street. Bridport is a Met Office coastal weather observation point. In the 2011 census the population of the built-up area of Bridport was 13,568. The 2012 mid-year estimate of the population of Bridport's built-up area
1700-416: A specific timetable giving specific times of departure and arrival at waypoints along the route. These are often difficult to maintain in the event of traffic congestion , breakdowns, on/off bus incidents, road blockages or bad weather. Predictable effects such as morning and evening rush hour traffic are often accounted for in timetables using the past experience of the effects, although this then prevents
1800-772: A theatre and art gallery—named the Allsop Gallery in memory of broadcaster and local resident Kenneth Allsop . The centre hosts a diverse programme of cultural events and since the 1990s has received funding from the Arts Council . In 1973 the centre founded the Bridport Prize, an annual international poetry and short story competition described by its patron Fay Weldon as "a prize really worth fighting for in terms of prestige and genuine literary accomplishment". The Electric Palace Cinema has occupied its existing site since 1926. It closed down in 1999 but an ensuing campaign to 'Save
1900-541: A travel pass or free travel pass , or oversee stored-value card debiting. This may require the fitting of equipment to the bus. Alternatively, this duty and equipment may be delegated to a conductor who rides on the bus. In other areas, public transport buses may operate on a zero-fare basis, or ticket validation may be through the use of on-board/off-board proof-of-payment systems, checked by roving ticket controllers who board and alight buses at random. In some competitive systems, an incumbent operator may introduce
2000-416: A twice-weekly street market and monthly farmers' market . In 2005 there were 128 shops in the town, with a floorspace totalling 119,000 square feet (11,100 m ). Several national chains have stores in the town, including WHSmith , Boots , Morrisons, Co-op , Superdrug , Waitrose , and Fat Face . The food retail catchment area of the town extends up to 5 miles north, east and west, and in 2001 had
2100-583: A white man on a public bus is considered one of the catalysts of the Civil Rights Movement within the United States . The names of different types of bus services vary according to local tradition or marketing, although services can be classified into basic types based on route length, frequency, the purpose of use and type of bus used. An express bus service (also known as express commuter service , commuter bus service , or suburban bus service )
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#17328489466262200-478: Is 14,697. According to council tax records, in 2014 the proportion of homes within Bridport's built-up area that were second homes was 4.8%. The figure for Bridport parish alone was 5.6%. Writing in 1965, Ralph Wightman stated that "in the best possible meaning of the word Bridport has always been an industrial town, and its industries always had a connection with the countryside and the sea [...] Bridport has not had any industrial revolution. It has not blasted
2300-474: Is a fixed-route bus service that is intended to run faster than normal bus services between the same two commuter or destination points, typically on longer-distance routes. Express buses operate on a faster schedule by not making as many stops as normal bus services and often taking quicker routes, such as along freeways , or by using dedicated lanes or roadways. Express buses may also operate out of park and rides , in some cases only during rush hour in
2400-697: Is about 14 miles (23 km) west of the county town Dorchester , 15 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles (25 km) SSW of Yeovil in Somerset , 33 miles (53 km) east of Exeter in Devon and 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles (2.4 km) inland from the English Channel at West Bay. The town centre is sited between the small River Brit and its tributary the Asker, about 800 yards (730 m) north of their confluence, at an altitude of 10–15 metres (33–49 ft). Another small tributary,
2500-426: Is differentiated from other bus operation by the fact the owner or driver of a bus is employed by or contracted to an organisation whose main public duty or commercial interest is to provide a public transport service for passengers to turn up and use, rather than fulfilling private contracts between the bus operator and user. Public transport buses are operated as a common carrier under a contract of carriage between
2600-543: Is identified by a letter before or after the regular route number. For example, in Sydney , the letters L (as in L90), E (as in E70) and X (as in 610X or X84). L indicates that the bus runs along the normal route, while E and X indicate that the bus runs along a more direct route. In New York City , express buses operate using coaches from Motor Coach Industries and Prevost Car , and all except
2700-430: Is not feasible in low-density communities. Transportation planners estimate that to support local bus service every thirty minutes, there must be a residential housing density of seven dwelling units per acre. Bus services have led to the implementation of various types of infrastructure now common in many urban and suburban settings. The most prevalent example is the ubiquitous bus stop . Large interchanges have required
2800-503: Is operated using a mixture of Wright Eclipse Gemini and Plaxton President open-top buses. The route operates during the summer months (between May and September) only. Route X51 operates between Weymouth and Axminster via Dorchester , Poundbury , Winterbourne Abbas , Bridport , Charmouth and Lyme Regis . The route is operated using a mixture of Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 , Alexander Dennis Enviro400 and Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC closed top buses. The route runs throughout
2900-422: Is operated using a mixture of Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 , Alexander Dennis Enviro400 and Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC closed top buses. The route runs throughout the year, although the weekend service does not operate during the winter months. Route 501 is branded as The Portland Coaster and operates between Weymouth and Portland Bill via Wyke Regis , Fortuneswell , Easton and Southwell . The route
3000-428: Is operated using open-top Alexander ALX400 buses. The route operates during the summer months (between May and September) only. When the original X53 was introduced in November 1998 by Southern National, the route was operated with three Plaxton Paramount coaches. After the takeover of the company the same year and the rebranding of the route in 2004, the route was served with Wright Eclipse Gemini bodied Volvos for
3100-409: Is part of Dorset unitary authority . Bridport electoral ward (which also includes neighbouring Symondsbury ) elects 3 of the 82 members to Dorset Council . In 1835 Bridport became a municipal borough , the district contained only the parish of Bridport from 1894. in 1974 the district and parish were abolished and it became part of West Dorset district. A successor parish was formed covering
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3200-493: Is particularly wide due to it previously having been used to dry the ropes, after they had been spun in long gardens behind the houses. Ropes for gallows used to be made in the town, hence the phrase "stabbed with a Bridport dagger" being used to describe a hanging. In the English Civil War (1642–1651) the population of Bridport mainly supported the royalists . At the end of the war in 1651 Charles II briefly stayed in
3300-433: Is prevented in some cities such as Berlin by assigning every stop arrival times where scheduled buses should arrive no earlier than specified. Some services may have no specific departure times, the timetable giving the frequency of service on a route at particular phases of the day. This may be specified with departure times, but the over-riding factor is ensuring the regularity of buses arriving at stops. These are often
3400-520: Is the original Jurassic Coaster service and operates between Weymouth and Bridport via Chickerell , Abbotsbury , Swyre , Burton Bradstock , West Bay , Bridport , Charmouth and Lyme Regis . The route is operated using a mixture of Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 , Alexander Dennis Enviro400 and Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC closed top buses. The route runs daily throughout the year. Route X54 operates between Weymouth and Wareham via Preston , Osmington , Lulworth Cove and Wool . The route
3500-636: Is the town's only secondary school. It is located on the outskirts of the town and serves ages 11 to 18. The sixth form is combined with Beaminster School in nearby Beaminster . Children also attend other secondary schools within the region: The Woodroffe School in Lyme Regis , Colyton Grammar School in east Devon , and the Thomas Hardye School in Dorchester. There are daily buses running to these schools from Bridport. Further and higher education in
3600-551: Is well known. The Food Festival week concludes with the Round Table Beer Festival. Since 2010, there has been an annual Hat Festival which takes place in 'Bucky Doo Square' for a weekend every September. An annual Christmas Tree Festival is held every December in the United Church. Over sixty trees are decorated by local and national charities, with visitors able to make donations. Bridport holds an annual carnival on
3700-454: The 2011 census the population of Bridport's built-up area was 13,568. The town is twinned with Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue , France. Bridport's origins are Saxon . During the reign of King Alfred it became one of the four most important settlements in Dorset ;– the other three being Dorchester , Shaftesbury and Wareham – with the construction of fortifications and establishment of
3800-782: The BxM4 operate along highways, sometimes for a large portion of the route. For example, the QM8 , QM5 and QM2 Super Expresses, the SIM26 , SIM22 , SIM25 , BxM11 and X38 all operate on highways for most of their route. Many transit systems may also use a specific number before or after the regular route number. For example, in Toronto , the number "9" (as in 995) goes before the regular route number to display an express bus service. Long-distance coach services (US: Intercity bus line) are bus services operated over long distances between cities. These services can form
3900-677: The English Channel near the confluence of the River Brit and its tributary the Asker . Its origins are Saxon and it has a long history as a rope -making centre. On the coast and within the town's boundary is West Bay , a small fishing harbour also known as Bridport Harbour. The town features as Port Bredy in Thomas Hardy 's Wessex novels . In the 21st century, Bridport's arts scene has expanded with an arts centre, theatre, cinema and museum. In
4000-676: The Heart of Wessex Line , Crewkerne on the West of England Main Line , and Dorchester South on the South West Main Line . There is a bus service (X51) linking the railway stations in Axminster, Dorchester and Weymouth, and another ( X53 ) between Axminster and Weymouth via Bridport. There are a few buses a day northwards to Beaminster, Crewkerne and Yeovil , although travelling beyond Beaminster often involves
4100-635: The London Transport Executive owned a bus fleet of 8,000 buses, the largest in the world. Many small operators have only a few vehicles or a single bus owned by an owner-driver. Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation holds the Guinness world record of having the largest fleet of buses with 22,555 buses. In all cases in the developed world , public transport bus services are usually subject to some form of legal control in terms of vehicle safety standards and method of operation, and possibly
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4200-605: The Monmouth Rebellion . There is a strong connection with the Bridport United Church ( Methodist / URC ) and the two hold joint services, study groups and children's holiday clubs. The parish is linked with Roumois in the Diocese of Évreux , Normandy . The church has a maximum capacity of 400 and hosts many events. It has a peal of eight bells. Opposite the church is a Society of Friends Meeting House . There has been
4300-501: The River Simene , also joins the Brit to the west of the town centre. Bridport contains several neighbourhoods, some of which used to be separate villages. These include Allington , Skilling, Coneygar , Bothenhampton , Bradpole , Court Orchard and St Andrew's Well. South of the town centre and within the town's boundary is West Bay , a small fishing harbour known as Bridport Harbour until
4400-526: The omnibus , commenced running this morning from Paddington to the City", operated by George Shillibeer . The first omnibus service in New York began in 1829, when Abraham Brower, an entrepreneur who had organized volunteer fire companies, established a route along Broadway starting at Bowling Green . Other American cities soon followed suit: Philadelphia in 1831, Boston in 1835 and Baltimore in 1844. In most cases,
4500-546: The 14th and 15th centuries, like other Dorset coastal towns, Bridport suffered heavy losses due to frequent outbreaks of the Black Death ; one 14th-century account by Geoffrey Baker recorded that the disease "almost stripped the seaports of Dorset of their inhabitants". Around this time the town was also subjected to attacks by raiding French and Spanish forces. Since the Middle Ages Bridport has been associated with
4600-483: The 16th-century Bridport Museum . The population of Bridport in 1841 was 4,787. During the 19th century Bridport's population grew little, unlike many Dorset towns, although many sturdy buildings were constructed at this time, showing that at least parts of the population remained prosperous. In 1857 the Bridport Railway was opened, which joined the town with the existing national rail network. This benefitted
4700-539: The 1830s as competition to the horse-drawn buses. The omnibus extended the reach of the emerging cities. The walk from the former village of Paddington to the business heart of London in the City was a long one, even for a young man in good condition. The omnibus thus offered the suburbs more access to the inner city. The omnibus encouraged urbanization . Socially, the omnibus put city-dwellers, even if for only half an hour, into previously-unheard-of physical intimacy with strangers, squeezing them together knee-to-knee. Only
4800-411: The 1950s film The Navy Lark (based on the radio series of the same name), the opening credits of The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin , and much of the filming of the crime drama Broadchurch , starring David Tennant and Olivia Colman , and was written by Chris Chibnall who lives in Bridport. The A35 trunk road between Honiton and Southampton passes around the centre of Bridport on
4900-412: The 1970s. In the 21st century, Bridport's arts scene has contributed to the town becoming increasingly popular with people from outside the locality. It has an arts centre, theatre, library, cinema and museum, and several annual events. Bridport Arts Centre originated in the early 1970s when local activists bought an old Wesleyan chapel and adjacent schoolroom on South Street and converted them into
5000-670: The 2009 event. Other one-day events include the West Bay Wallow, a charity swim event in which participants often wear fancy dress, organised by the Bridport Round Table on Boxing Day , and a raft race in the River Brit basin, also at West Bay, in July; it is organised by the RNLI and participants race in homemade rafts and usually wear fancy dress. It has been run for over forty years and attracts thousands of spectators, with money raised for
5100-723: The Coastlinx53. In May 2021, the route network and livery was revised and modified open top Transbus ALX400s and Wright Eclipse Geminis as well as closed top Enviro400s were put into its colours and used on the network. Bus service While there are indications of experiments with public transport in Paris as early as 1662, there is evidence of a scheduled "bus route" from Market Street in Manchester to Pendleton in Salford UK , started by John Greenwood in 1824. Another claim for
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#17328489466265200-830: The Friends' burial place) in South Street; No. 34 and Granville House in West Street; the Literary and Scientific Institute (the old library), Granby House Masonic Hall, No.9 and the walls to the garden behind No.74 in East Street; Nos.133–139 (one structure) and the Church of St Swithun in North Allington; Nos. 27 and 29 (one structure) in West Allington; Downe Hall in Rawles Way;
5300-498: The Palace' resulted in the building being listed before being bought by a new owner and refurbished to include a digital projector, auditorium murals , a new restaurant and art deco bar. It reopened in 2007 and in March 2009 hosted the world premiere of The Young Victoria . The Lyric Theatre, which reopened in 2010, hosts quirky theatre, puppetry, comedy, clowning and music. It is also
5400-658: The RNLI. Bridport has one local weekly newspaper, the Bridport News , owned by Newsquest and published on Thursdays. The Dorset Echo also serves Bridport. Bridport receives BBC Spotlight and ITV West Country television, transmitted in digital from the Stockland Hill Transmitter and a digital relay transmitter based at Highlands End. Local radio includes Greatest Hits Radio and BBC Radio Solent . Bridport has one community website, Bridport Radio, which uses
5500-577: The UK national parliament, Bridport is within the West Dorset parliamentary constituency . As of 2024 , the Member of Parliament (MP) is Edward Morello of the Liberal Democrats . Bridport has two-tiers of local government . At the lower level, Bridport is a civil parish governed by a town council of 20 members elected from 5 wards representing neighbourhoods of the town. At the upper level, Bridport
5600-547: The X54 ran between Weymouth and Poole. The X52 service was reduced in frequency, and withdrawn in 2018, marking the end of First bus services in Exeter. Sunday services were cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic , but were reinstated in July 2020. The Sunday service continued to run during the winter, unlike in previous years. In 2021, the logo and livery for the routes was updated. Route 501
5700-403: The area in his 1922 novel The Treasure of Golden Cap . Bridport holds a number of festivals. The Bridport Literary Festival has been running since 2005 and has played host to literary figures such as Elizabeth Jane Howard , Victoria Glendinning , Minette Walters and Fay Weldon. Bridport Food Festival is held in late June at Asker Meadow. It showcases locally produced foods for which the area
5800-569: The arrival of the railway. The geology of Bridport comprises rocks formed in the Pliensbachian , Toarcian , Aalenian , Bajocian , Bathonian and Callovian ages of the Jurassic Period , overlain by superficial Quaternary deposits of alluvium alongside the rivers. There are several faults in the area, including the Mangerton Fault, which is aligned SSW-NNE and runs from West Bay up
5900-414: The base of children's theatre company Stuff and Nonsense. Bridport Museum, located in South Street, includes an extensive exhibition of the town's long history of rope-making. Bridport features as 'Port Bredy' in the fictional ' Wessex ' of Thomas Hardy 's novels, and is the setting for Eden Phillpotts ' 1918 novel The Spinners . Frederick Harcourt Kitchin , under the pseudonym Bennet Copplestone, used
6000-473: The building of bus stations . In roads and streets, infrastructure for buses has resulted in modifications to the kerb line such as protrusions and indentations , and even special kerb stones . Entire lanes or roads have been reserved for buses in bus lanes or busways . Bus fleets require large storage premises often located in urban areas, and may also make use of central works facilities . The level and reliability of bus services are often dependent on
6100-471: The city governments granted a private company—generally a small stableman already in the livery or freight-hauling business—an exclusive franchise to operate public coaches along a specified route. In return, the company agreed to maintain certain minimum levels of service. In 1832, the New York omnibus had a rival when the first trams , or streetcars started operation along Bowery , which offered
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#17328489466266200-477: The countryside, and it has escaped the worst depressions. Perhaps this accounts for the fact that it has always been famous for good food and drink". In 2012 there were 4,900 people employed in Bridport, 59% of whom were employed full-time and 41% part-time. The most important types of employment were distribution, accommodation and food (39% of non-agricultural employment), public administration, education and health (20%), production (18%) and construction (9%), with
6300-459: The east, which perhaps was abandoned or not completed in favour of the harbour site at Bridport. A probable location for an earlier burh is at Littlebredy . In 1086 the Domesday Book recorded that the town was called 'Brideport'; 'port' is Old English for a market town, thus 'Brideport' may have described the market town belonging to or associated with Bredy. At a later date, in a reversal of
6400-532: The excellent improvement in amenity of riding on smooth iron rails rather than clattering over granite setts, called "Belgian blocks". The streetcars were financed by John Mason, a wealthy banker, and built by an Irish-American contractor, John Stephenson . The Fifth Avenue Coach Company introduced electric buses to Fifth Avenue in New York in 1898. In 1831, New Yorker Washington Irving remarked of Britain's Reform Act (finally passed in 1832): "The great reform omnibus moves but slowly." Steam buses emerged in
6500-721: The first public transport system for general use originated in Nantes, France , in 1826. Stanislas Baudry , a retired army officer who had built public baths using the surplus heat from his flour mill on the city's edge, set up a short route between the center of town and his baths. The service started on the Place du Commerce, outside the hat shop of a M. Omnès, who displayed the motto Omnès Omnibus (Latin for "everything for everybody" or "all for all") on his shopfront. When Baudry discovered that passengers were just as interested in getting off at intermediate points as in patronizing his baths, he changed
6600-473: The front of buses that usually holds two bicycles. Passengers would be able to place their bicycle on the racks when riding to avoid taking up space during rush hour. The research conducted in Montreal ( Canada ) showed that travelling by bus is safer than travelling by car , for vehicle occupants but also for pedestrians and cyclists . There were 16 times more injured car occupants than bus occupants. Most pedestrians (95%) and cyclists (96%) were injured by
6700-405: The hill at Watton Cross. The hills immediately north of the town are formed from Bridport Sand , with Allington Hill and Watton Hill having small caps of Inferior Oolite . North of the hills, moving away from the town's built-up area, undifferentiated Down Cliff Sand and Thorncombe Sand is separated from the Bridport Sand of the hills in most places by a band of Beacon Limestone . The hills east of
6800-419: The industrial division of Gundry Bridport in 1979 – specialise in the design and manufacture of textile safety products for aerospace and defence, and Edwards Sports Products, operating in the town since 1884, manufacture sport nets for major events. Other companies in the town include Palmer's Brewery (JC & RH Palmer Ltd) and valve-manufacturer Curtiss Wright . There are seven business estates in and around
6900-540: The intermediate rural areas, or even only call at two terminal points as a long distance shuttle service. Some interurban services may be operated as high specification luxury services, using coaches , in order to compete with railways , or link areas not rail connected. Interurban services may often terminate in central bus stations rather than on street stops. Other interurban services may specifically call at intermediate villages and may use slower transit buses or dual purpose buses. Many public bus services are run to
7000-410: The level of fares charged and routes operated. Bus services are being made accessible , often in response to rules and regulations in disability discrimination laws . This has resulted in the introduction of paratransit services and low-floor buses to support passengers who are elderly, have a disability , or a medical condition. Some transit agencies have also started to install bike racks in
7100-503: The mainstay of the travel network in countries with poor railway infrastructure. Different coach operators may band together on a franchise or connecting basis to offer a branded network that covers large distances, such as Trailways and National Express . These networks can even operate internationally, such as Eurolines of Europe. Interurban bus services are primarily aimed at linking together one or more urban centres, and as such are often run as express services while travelling in
7200-460: The more frequent services, up to the busiest bus rapid transit schemes. For headway-based schemes, problems can be managed by changing speed, delaying at stops and leap-frogging a bus boarding at a stop. Services may be strictly regulated in terms of level of adherence to timetables , and how often timetables may be changed. Operators and authorities may employ on-street bus inspectors to monitor adherence in real time. Service operators often have
7300-463: The opportunity for drafting a 'clock face' timetable where the time of a bus is predictable at any time through the day. Predictable short term increases in passenger numbers may be dealt with by providing "duplicate" buses, where two or more buses operate the same slot in the timetable. Unpredictable problems resulting in delays and gaps in the timetabled service may be dealt with by 'turning' a bus early before it reaches it terminus , so that it can fill
7400-667: The parishes of Bridport, Allington, Bradpole and Bothenhampton are 514 structures that are listed by Historic England for their historical or architectural interest. Three of these are listed as Grade I (the designation of highest significance), seventeen are Grade II*, and the rest are Grade II. The three Grade I structures are Bridport Town Hall , the Parish Church of St Mary , and Holy Trinity Old Church in Bothenhampton. The seventeen Grade II* structures are: Bridport Museum, The Chantry and Daniel Taylor's almshouses (and wall of
7500-581: The passenger and the operator. The owners of public transport buses may be the municipal authority or transit authority that operates them, or they may be owned by individuals or private companies who operate them on behalf of the authorities on a franchise or contract basis. Other buses may be run entirely as private concerns, either on an owner-operator basis, or as multi-national transport groups. Some countries have specifically deregulated their bus services , allowing private operators to provide public bus services. In this case, an authority may make up
7600-552: The peak direction. Fares on express bus services may be higher than normal parallel services. Many express buses act as precursors to bus rapid transit lines and employ a proof-of-payment scheme, requiring passengers to purchase tickets before boarding the bus, speeding up the service. These services may also use suburban coaches that feature amenities like comfortable seating and wireless Internet service, particularly on routes that travel long distances at higher speeds without stopping. In many cases, an express bus service
7700-423: The production of rope and nets . The earliest official record of this industry dates from 1211, when King John ordered that Bridport make "as many ropes for ships both large and small and as many cables as you can". The raw materials needed, flax and hemp , used to be grown in the surrounding countryside, though they were superseded in modern times by artificial fibres such as nylon . Bridport's main street
7800-732: The quality of the local road network and levels of traffic congestion , and the population density. Services may be organised on tightly regulated networks with restrictions on when and where services operate, while other services are operated on an ad hoc basis in the model of share taxis . Increasingly, technology is being used to improve the information provided to bus users, with vehicle tracking technologies to assist with scheduling, and to achieve real-time integration with passenger information systems that display service information at stops, inside buses, and to waiting passengers through personal mobile devices or text messaging . Bus drivers may be required to conduct fare collection, inspect
7900-421: The rebel force, although many of the militiamen deserted and joined Monmouth's army. Many buildings in Bridport, particularly in the main street, date from the 18th century. Bridport Town Hall was built in 1785–6, with its clock tower and cupola added about twenty years later. Older buildings can be found in South Street, and include the 13th-century St. Mary's parish church , the 14th-century chantry and
8000-449: The region is provided by Yeovil College , Weymouth College , Kingston Maurward College and Bournemouth University . St Mary's Church was founded in the 13th century though much of it dates from the 15th century and it was substantially restored and altered in the 19th century. There is a 17th-century brass in St. Catherine's Chapel that commemorates Edward Coker who was killed in 1685 during
8100-456: The remaining 14% accounted for by finance, ICT and other services. Major employers in the area include AmSafe , Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust , Denhay Farms, Dorset Community NHS Trust, Dorset County Council , Edwards Sports Products, Gundry Bridport Ltd, Morrisons and Waitrose . Several firms in the town continue Bridport's heritage of rope and netmaking: Gundry Bridport Ltd manufacture rope and nets, AmSafe – formed by
8200-616: The route began being operated entirely on a commercial basis for the first time. A new livery was launched, together with the Jurassic Coaster branding. By the following year, the route was running at an hourly frequency between Lyme Regis and Weymouth. In 2016, the X53 was split into multiple routes, with the X53 itself being shortened to only run between Axminster and Weymouth. Two new service were introduced numbered X52 and X54. The X52 ran between Exeter and Lyme Regis, avoiding Axminster, while
8300-540: The route was branded as CoastLinX53 . The following month, the route was extended to Poole , with some buses continuing to Bournemouth . While the existing service was council-funded, the extensions to Poole and Bournemouth were operated on a commercial basis. However, the Bournemouth extensions were cut in April 2008. After fifteen years of financial support from Devon County Council and Dorset County Council , in March 2013
8400-711: The route's focus. His new voiture omnibus ("carriage for all") combined the functions of the hired hackney carriage with a stagecoach that travelled a predetermined route from inn to inn, carrying passengers and mail. His omnibus had wooden benches that ran down the sides of the vehicle; passengers entered from the rear. In 1828, Baudry went to Paris , where he founded a company under the name Entreprise générale des omnibus de Paris , while his son Edmond Baudry founded two similar companies in Bordeaux and in Lyon . A London newspaper reported on July 4, 1829, that "the new vehicle, called
8500-507: The same area as the former district and its parish. In 2019 Bridport became part of Dorset unitary authority area. The rural hinterland around the town formed Bridport Rural District from 1894 to 1974. On 1 April 2024 the parishes of Bothenhampton and Allington were abolished and merged with Bridport, part of Allington also went to Symondsbury. Bridport is in the county of Dorset in South West England . Measured directly, it
8600-402: The shortfall in levels of private service provision by funding or operating 'socially necessary' services, such as early or late services, on the weekends, or less busy routes. Ownership/operation of public transport buses can also take the form of a charitable operation or not for profit social enterprises . Larger operations may have fleets of thousands of vehicles. At its peak in the 1950s,
8700-580: The south of Bothenhampton parish church. The coast at Bridport is part of the Jurassic Coast , a World Heritage Site that covers a continuous 96 miles (154 km) of coastline in Dorset and neighbouring east Devon. Chesil beach starts at Portland and ends at West Bay. The east pier of West Bay is at the east end of Chesil beach. All of the town is also within the Dorset National Landscape area,
8800-600: The surrounding area open up their studios as part of Bridport Open Studios, which marked its 15th year in 2013. The event takes place over the three days of the August Bank Holiday weekend and over 100 artists participate. The popularity of the event has led to three more open events in November, Easter and May. The biggest artist led venue is the St Michael's Studio complex on the St Michael's Trading Estate. It provides studios for 25 artists and attracted over 700 visitors to
8900-479: The third Saturday in August. The main feature is a carnival parade of floats, walking acts and majorettes , with other attractions including a car boot sale , fete and funfair . After the carnival South Street is closed for the night as live music is played while people dance in the street. The funfair is also open late. On the following night a torchlight procession takes place, with 1,500 torches carried 2 miles from
9000-560: The town at The George Inn as he sought to escape Parliamentarian forces after his defeat at the Battle of Worcester . Local loyalty to the king again played a part in the first action in the Duke of Monmouth's Rebellion when on 16 June 1685, 40 cavalry and 400 foot soldiers, commanded for Monmouth, moved on from Lyme Regis to Bridport, where they encountered 1,200 men from the local royalist Dorset militia . The skirmish ended with retreat of
9100-598: The town centre to a bonfire at West Bay. This is followed by live music and fireworks . West Bay's funfair opens until late. The events raise money for local good causes and organisations. Melplash Show, described by its organisers as "the South West’s premier agricultural exhibition", is held annually on the showground at West Bay on the Thursday before the August Bank Holiday weekend. Local artists in Bridport and
9200-644: The town have experienced similar changes. Bridport is quite some distance from the UK motorway network with the nearest motorway access at junction 25 of the M5 at Taunton , 32 miles (51 km) away via the B3162 and A358 roads. Bridport railway station was closed in May 1975, along with the Bridport – Maiden Newton branch line . The nearest railway stations to Bridport are Maiden Newton on
9300-462: The town's textile industry and brought cheaper goods such as coal to the area. In 1884 the line was extended from Bridport's station to a new terminus on the coast at Bridport Harbour, which was renamed West Bay as part of attempts to promote it as a resort. The West Bay extension closed to passengers in 1930 and all traffic in 1962. The entire Bridport line closed in 1975. The town gave its name to Bridport, Vermont and Bridport, Tasmania . In
9400-573: The town, around Walditch and Loders , are also mostly of Bridport Sand capped by Inferior Oolite, with the Beacon Limestone outcropping near their base and the undifferentiated sands closer to the town. To the south east however, the faults running east from the lower Brit Valley are associated with a change to slightly younger material, mostly calcareous mudstones and sandstones ( Fuller's Earth , Frome Clay and Forest Marble ), with small outcrops of Cornbrash limestone and Kellaways Formation to
9500-483: The town: Gore Cross Business Park (6.1 hectares or 15 acres), St Andrews Trading Estate (2.4 hectares or 5.9 acres), North Mills Trading Estate (2.2 hectares or 5.4 acres), St Michael's Trading Estate (1.8 hectares or 4.4 acres), Dreadnought Trading Estate (1.6 hectares or 4.0 acres), Pineapple Business Park (1 hectare or 2.5 acres) and Old Laundry/Sea Road North (0.55 hectares or 1.4 acres). Bridport has
9600-430: The valleys of the River Brit and Mangerton River. This intersects with several E-W faults, including three in the lower Brit Valley, between Bothenhampton and West Bay, that run east, and two, north of the town centre, that run west. The land beneath the town centre and to the west and southwest (around the neighbourhood of Skilling) is mostly Eype Clay, a micaceous mudstone , though slightly younger Down Cliff Sand crowns
9700-487: The very poor remained excluded. A new division in urban society now came to the fore, dividing those who kept carriages from those who did not. The idea of the "carriage trade", the folk who never set foot in the streets, who had goods brought out from the shops for their appraisal, has its origins in the omnibus crush. John D. Hertz founded the Yellow Coach Manufacturing Company in 1923 and then sold
9800-408: The year, although the Sunday service does not operate during the winter months. Route X52 operates between Weymouth and Bridport via Chickerell , Abbotsbury , Swyre , Burton Bradstock and West Bay . The route is operated using a mixture of Wright Eclipse Gemini and Plaxton President open-top buses. The route operates during the summer months (between May and September) only. Route X53
9900-597: Was brought into the network with "Portland Coaster" branded open top buses and the X52 number was relaunched and reworked for a new route running between Bridport and Monkey World . The Jurassic Coaster network is formed of six routes, stretching from Axminster in the west, through Weymouth to Swanage in the east. Each of the six routes generally run to a two-hourly frequency. Route X50 operates between Weymouth and Swanage via Preston , Osmington , Lulworth Cove , Wool , Bovington , Wareham and Corfe Castle . The route
10000-571: Was outnumbered by non-Church-of-England establishments by seven to one. The Wesleyan chapel on South Street, now the Bridport Arts Centre , is a Grade II listed building ; it was erected in 1838, designed by James Wilson of Bath , Somerset , and built by Charles and Joseph Galpin of Bridport. The Unitarian "Chapel in the Garden", on the north side of East Street, provides a neutral development resource for an open faith community. Within
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