TOWN centre trams, new roads, five park-and-ride sites and an Oyster-style travel smartcard are among proposals for an overarching transport strategy for East Dorset.

But congestion charging and a workplace-parking levy have been taken off the table.

This is the latest news from the South East Dorset Transport Study, a major project which began in 2008 and will shape our transport systems between now and 2026, when there could be an extra 33,000 homes in the region.

A joint committee of Poole, Bournemouth and Dorset councillors has approved a package of short, medium and long term measures in a draft strategy, which will go forward to a final public consultation in the New Year.

Among the more radical proposals is an “aspirational” plan for a ‘rapid transit’ tram system, which would run on existing railway lines through the conurbation, connected to Bournemouth town centre with an on-street track.

A travel smartcard – similar to the Oyster card used by Londoners – could also be introduced by 2020, enabling passengers to pay for travel electronically by swiping a card as they get on a bus or train.

Also on the agenda are new roads linking the Bearwood/Magna Road area in Poole with the Canford Bottom roundabout to the north, and Parley in the east.

Road widening is proposed for the A31 at Ringwood and between Ameysford and Merley, and the A338 could be widened between the Blackwater and Cooper Dean junctions.

To improve transport to the airport, the proposals also include widening of the B3073 between Parley and Blackwater – to include a high-occupancy vehicle lane – as well as a small by-pass to ease the bottleneck at Hurn. Five new park and ride sites at Mannings Heath and Creekmoor in Poole, New Road in Northbourne, Bournemouth Airport interchange and Riverside in Bournemouth are also suggested to come in between 2014 and 2026.

Shorter-term measures include an improved bus route and cycling network, green travel plans and work on several major junctions.

Rick Clayton, project manager on the South East Dorset Transport Study, said: “This is effectively what we’d like to do to meet the future congestion we’re predicting. We have to create a delivery programme based on what is affordable.”

The £2million South East Dorset Transport study began in 2008 with a series of roadside surveys which caused headaches for drivers, but helped create a computer model of travel in the conurbation.

The final document – expected to be approved in March next year – will be used to support bids for some £400m government cash needed to make the big ideas a reality.

The consultation launches in the New Year and runs to the end of February. The website is sedorsetmms.com and leaflets will soon be available at libraries, leisure centres, supermarkets and selected retail outlets. To learn more, contact sedorset.transport@poole.gov.uk