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Get to work - by water taxi

8:08am Thursday 19th April 2007

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COMMUTERS and tourists may soon be able to bypass rush-hour traffic snarl-ups and savour the stunning sea views between Bournemouth and Poole instead.

Water taxis along Poole Bay could help ease congested roads between the two resorts, according to Bournemouth borough council's marketing and events manager Jon Weaver.

Revealing ambitious new water travel plans at a Bournemouth Tourism Management Board briefing in the Pavilion, Mr Weaver said water taxis were just one of a range of new initiatives being considered by tourism bosses in both towns.

He told the Daily Echo: "We are looking to develop a more frequent ferry service between Bournemouth and Poole, via Sandbanks.

"There is a great opportunity if we can get people between the resorts, by water, quicker than by car.

"We need to get commuters and visitors to consider water taxis as an alternative to using their cars but the service needs to be cost effective and frequent.

"With clogged up roads becoming more and more of a headache for both commuters and visitors to the area, water taxis could be the transport of the future.

"People already cycle along the seafront - this is just another way of easing congestion on our busy road network.

"The plan is at its inception stage at the moment; it still has to be agreed by the Poole and Bournemouth tourism boards which are made up of representatives from the trade and local authorities.

"Then we will hold discussions with the current operators, Dorset Belles. If feasible, water taxis could be piloted, on a trial basis, during summer 2008."

Mr Weaver stressed that tourism chiefs had joined forces in a bid to promote Bournemouth and Poole "as a whole experience".

He added: "People see 11 miles of beach and we are keen to work closer together, enlisting the help of taxi drivers and coach operators, who see no boundary, to actively promote the entire area.

"There will also be a joint access guide for disabled visitors and events held simultaneously in the two resorts, along with more multi-cultural activities aimed at foreign language students.

"We want to work together and develop the whole conurbation as a superior destination in the UK."

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Your Say YourBournemouth Echo

Gary Bulgin, Boscombe says...
8:59am Thu 19 Apr 07

A great idea that could work really well if there's plenty of room for bikes. But watch as it's introduced with a UK style ridiculous price or is prevented due to cost of insurance.

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Nick, Bournemouth says...
9:10am Thu 19 Apr 07

What a silly idea. It must be election time again.
The council can’t even afford to pay the bus companies to put on a half decent service. How are they going to finance this?
How long would the journey take, I’d judge about two hours to load, travel and unload again.
Even if the water taxis come in you still need to the docks, or pier, and back.

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Jack, Poole says...
9:42am Thu 19 Apr 07

A Light Railway or Tramway along the seafront, as in Blackpool,would be a much better idea, but what hope with land at £20million an acre and premier residents who must not be disturbed with the sort of noise we common people have to put up with.

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ed, says...
10:17am Thu 19 Apr 07

So erm, how does everybody get to the pier in the first place. what a load of tosh. I also find it laughable that any council member harps on about the wonderful miles of beach as if they had something to do with it. Mr Weaver, how much will you charge for parking and will the car park be on the site of the IMAX? It would be funny if it wasn't so sad.

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ned, says...
10:22am Thu 19 Apr 07

Will it have lap dancers, fighting and a huge vomit tray. If so, will fit in great with the towns new image as ultra violent chav central.

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Annabelle Brown, says...
10:23am Thu 19 Apr 07

i agree with Nick also i did not realize we could cycle along the prom untill i read Mr Weavers comment he is management so it must be genuine, im off out now to buy 9 bikes ready for when the family comes down many thanks Mr Weaver for the info

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Chris Hannant, Bournemouth says...
10:32am Thu 19 Apr 07

This is an excellent idea, probably the only one ever that has come out of the Bournemouth Tourist board and should be given a seriouse backing, however there is a concerne over costs, access, availability, times, tides and weather. But any idea that will stem the current gridlock between Bournemouth and Poole which will only get worse should be worth persuing.

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Tony Goodson, Friars Cliff says...
10:53am Thu 19 Apr 07

May I take this opportunity to thank Bournemouth Council for the enlightened decision to allow cycling from Southbourne to Poole

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Bob, Bournemouth says...
10:55am Thu 19 Apr 07

Is it April 1st today? What a load of tosh! It will have no practical use for commuters at all, but it's a nice idea for summer tourists.

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Dahele Younis, Westside says...
12:20pm Thu 19 Apr 07

will we be able to fish of da back ov da boat? haha innit?

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Simon, Poole says...
1:31pm Thu 19 Apr 07

The quote: "People already cycle along the seafront" is all good and well, but until Poole / Bmth councils finally sort out their timings during July and August, this is not practicle, as Poole limit you to after 7pm, and Bmth 6pm!

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Alan, Poole says...
2:30pm Thu 19 Apr 07

The next crazy idea will be linking the Dorset Way with the Wessex Way

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Dahele Younis, Westside says...
2:56pm Thu 19 Apr 07

Alan wrote:
The next crazy idea will be linking the Dorset Way with the Wessex Way
Innit - just build more roads, then there is space for all our cars.

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Nigel Leak, says...
2:57pm Thu 19 Apr 07

What creative genius came up with this one! I also hear this year the town is vying for the lap dance annual award by putting on strippers in the band stand on sunday evenings, whilst the ice cream rip off shacks will sell stella artois at £5 a pop. The Bourne Streem will be awash with vomit as the lovely ladies do their stuff. well ...just as sensible an idea.

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Adam, Bournemouth says...
3:10pm Thu 19 Apr 07

Why don't they build a giant fly-over that stretches from Westbourne to Poole. It could go right over the top of Branksome Park and Lower Parkstone. This could be funded with all the cash that the Council extracts from the Crimanals who park in Mother and Child spaces!

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Philip Eades, Civic Centre says...
3:50pm Thu 19 Apr 07

"A fly-over to Central Poole" - whilst I fully appreciate this was ironic Tory MP Tobias Ellwood was quoted in the Echo last year as saying "the Wessex Way should be extended into Poole" - I can't think of anything worse - wehre did he expect this to go - Penn Hill Avenue? Bournemouth Rd? Ashley Rd? through the Civic Centre? across Whitecliff or Poole Park?

Utterly incredible suggestion and one made completely without thining of the implications for Poole

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Sallyann, Poole says...
3:57pm Thu 19 Apr 07

Bob wrote:
Is it April 1st today? What a load of tosh! It will have no practical use for commuters at all, but it's a nice idea for summer tourists.
Bob,
You have hit the nail on the head. It will be of no real use to commuters or I believe the majority of council taxpayers in Bournemouth or Poole. Its yet another backhanded way of spending our council tax money on tourists.

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Craig, London says...
10:33am Fri 20 Apr 07

Nice idea but pie-in-the-sky. They can't make it work effectively in London on the Thames despite the vast numbers of commuters who are well used to using public transport. Simply getting people out of their cars would be too big a task and getting from place of work to the landing stages would put most off. Delays in bad weather will deter others, arriving at work feeling sick will do it for the rest. Sort out buses, invest in trams or subsidise a better train service is a far more realistic idea. If it doesn't go door-to-door or at least from the bottom of the road every 15 minutes, most people won't even bother. River taxis / commuter ferries can work but the geography of the area and the population pattern is what generates the need, not the council looking for a headline

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John, Poole says...
10:42am Fri 20 Apr 07

Adam wrote:
Why don't they build a giant fly-over that stretches from Westbourne to Poole. It could go right over the top of Branksome Park and Lower Parkstone. This could be funded with all the cash that the Council extracts from the Crimanals who park in Mother and Child spaces!
Top flight idea - except I think that the route should be over Branksome Park and Canford Cliffs. Then all those premier league people would have something to look up to rather than down upon!

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John, Poole says...
10:47am Fri 20 Apr 07

Adam wrote:
Why don't they build a giant fly-over that stretches from Westbourne to Poole. It could go right over the top of Branksome Park and Lower Parkstone. This could be funded with all the cash that the Council extracts from the Crimanals who park in Mother and Child spaces!
Top flight idea - except I think that it should go over Branksome Park and Canford Cliffs. Then all those premier league people would have something to look up to rather than down upon!

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open_minded, Poole says...
11:12am Fri 20 Apr 07

With clogged up roads becoming more and more of a headache for both commuters and visitors to the area, water taxis could be the transport of the future.


As the oceans rise with global warming I agree, it may well be the way of the future!

Sounds a good idea for a seaside holiday destination and I have seen many such schemes work exceptionally well all over the world. As for the poopers, what exactly was it in the final details of the scheme you don't like? I mean, obviously you are all privy to more details than are published in the echo. Come on Nigel, come on Alan, come on Nick and the rest of the whingers, quote us all some extracts from the OFFICIAL proposals document. You may be right, it may be unworkable, but you may be wrong.

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Chris Hannant, Bournemouth says...
12:15pm Fri 20 Apr 07

What people must understand is that the population in the region is growing fast, add that to the number of car owners and it dosnt take much of an imagination to come to the conclusion that getting between Bournemouth and Poole will take longer. We all know that it only takes an accident on the main route to bring the entire road system to a complete halt for hours, and roadworks can only increase with building of new homes and buisnesses. Are we happy with the current sitution or is there an alternative? We cant trust the bus companies as they may just cancel more services. The water taxi idea maybe a little quirky but it is an alternative suggestion and just because drivers may not like the idea of alternate ways to commute its an issue that needs to be addressed if anyone needs to get anywhere in the future.

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Nick, Bournemouth says...
9:42pm Fri 20 Apr 07

Philip Eades wrote:
"A fly-over to Central Poole" - whilst I fully appreciate this was ironic Tory MP Tobias Ellwood was quoted in the Echo last year as saying "the Wessex Way should be extended into Poole" - I can't think of anything worse - wehre did he expect this to go - Penn Hill Avenue? Bournemouth Rd? Ashley Rd? through the Civic Centre? across Whitecliff or Poole Park? Utterly incredible suggestion and one made completely without thining of the implications for Poole
Actually it can be done with the minimum of fuss. Turn Poole Rd. and Lindsey Rd. into a gyratory system, the same with Ashley Rd. and Bournemouth Rd.

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Bob, Bournemouth says...
4:30pm Sun 22 Apr 07

Philip Eades wrote:
"A fly-over to Central Poole" - whilst I fully appreciate this was ironic Tory MP Tobias Ellwood was quoted in the Echo last year as saying "the Wessex Way should be extended into Poole" - I can't think of anything worse - wehre did he expect this to go - Penn Hill Avenue? Bournemouth Rd? Ashley Rd? through the Civic Centre? across Whitecliff or Poole Park?

Utterly incredible suggestion and one made completely without thining of the implications for Poole
Mr Eades,

The appalling journey from Bournemouth across into Poole stems from years of failure by the Poole authorities to deal with the need for improved road links. Poole is now reaping the rewards of successive councils with low ambition and few ideas.

These days, attempts to bring Tourism to the centre of Poole is pretty futile, the shopping areas need modernising and the car parking is farcical.

Those people who work in the Civic Centre with their free staff multi-storey car park, need a bit more appreciation of what residents and commuters put up with on a daily basis.

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JS, BU says...
3:42pm Thu 26 Apr 07

Could we spend the money on cleaning the horrible human waste, chewing gum blobs off Bournemouths pavements?

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GREAT WAY TO TRAVEL: The Poole Belle pulls up alongside Bournemouth Pier to pick up passengers GREAT WAY TO TRAVEL: The Poole Belle pulls up alongside Bournemouth Pier to pick up passengers

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