Latest news with #DorsetCouncil
BBC News
3 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Breeding seahorses delay Weymouth harbour wall repairs
A colony of breeding seahorses is delaying work to repair a crumbling harbour to replace the walls around Weymouth Peninsula, Dorset, was due to begin in the winter but was halted due to "factors beyond the council's control".Now contractors must wait until the protected seahorses, which breed and raise their young in the nearby seagrass, move back into deeper is expected to take 10 to 12 months, with completion expected in "mid-2026". Inspections found the walls on the north east and north west side of the peninsula, which were built in 1977, were in "critical condition" and "at risk of failure".Dorset Council place services councillor Jon Andrews said: "Balancing economic progress with protecting what makes Dorset special isn't always easy, but it's a challenge we are determined to meet."Seahorses are special creatures and it's right that we do what we can to avoid disturbing them during their breeding season." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Drivers risk 'millions' in fines after controversial speed limit change
The speed limit on the A348 Ringwood Road in Ferndown, Dorset was lowered from 40mph to 30mph in 2023, with motorists told to expect a "large number" of penalty notices Motorists are set to be slapped with a staggering number of fines as a speed limit on a popular English dual carriageway is slashed. Dorset Council triggered a storm among drivers by reducing the speed from 40mph to 30mph in 2023, leaving road users flabbergasted at the sudden shift that's been said to lead to an eye-watering 36,000 per cent spike in penalties. The change has been like a red rag to a bull for those accustomed to the prior 40mph limit for years, with one irate motorist told The Times:"That road has been 40mph for decades. READ MORE: Non-toxic mice and rat repellent that 'works after first spray' in homes and gardens "Fine, lower the speed limit by 10mph, but at least give motorists plenty of notice and warning signs about the change. A cynical person might wonder if the change in speed limit was due to this camera not catching enough drivers." Another disgruntled driver vented their frustration on Facebook, labelling the mandatory speed awareness course for clocking 34mph in the new 30mph zone as "absolutely ridiculous". In a bid to reduce collision odds and to get more people walking or cycling, the council pulled the trigger on the revised speed cap following public consultation in 2023, reports Birmingham Live. Their statement laid out the plan: "The speed limit between Longham Bridge and Longham Mini Roundabouts will be reduced to 30mph later in 2023. "This is in line with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council's decision to reduce the speed limit to 30mph further south on Ringwood Road, towards Bear Cross Roundabout." Plans are in place to cut the speed limit to 30mph on a treacherous stretch of road, with changes kicking in later in 2023, spanning from around 45 metres north-east of Ringwood Road's junction with Turbary Road down to the existing 30mph zone near Manor Close. Councillor Richard Herrett commented to the Times, "These measures have made this busy dual carriageway safer and more pleasant for all road users, following on from fatalities in 2018 and 2019." Another person expressed their frustration, "Speed cameras should not be used to generate revenue by fining motorists, adding points to their driving licences, increasing motorists' insurance premiums, increasing the number of disqualified drivers and profiting companies selling Speed Awareness courses." They continued, questioning the decision: "Cameras should promote road safety. So what evidence is available, I wonder, to prove that this stretch of road merited the limit reduction to 30mph?"
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Removal of beach sea defences given go-ahead
Work to remove sea defences from a Dorset beach is due to begin in September after the scheme to "allow nature to take its course" received planning consent. The National Trust is proposing "managed realignment" followed by "no intervention" at Middle Beach, Studland, in response to climate change and coastal erosion. It said the stone gabions were "collapsing and a risk to the public" and their removal would result in a more natural beach within two years. Dorset Council approved the application after receiving no objections from Natural England, conservation and environment officers and Studland Parish Council. The site, between South Beach and Knoll Beach, is next to a 120-space car park. Bracken and sycamore saplings in a neighbouring area will also be removed as part of wider works to create areas of open sand for invertebrate species, breeding birds and reptiles, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The agent, on behalf of the trust, said: "Once the defences are removed, the shoreline will readjust quite rapidly to a natural alignment, in line with the shoreline management plan, and ensuring the beach future." The trust said the works would result in a natural cove and an enhanced wildlife habitat for sand lizards and birds. Work will also be timed to "minimise the impact on beachgoers, and avoid disturbing sand lizards during the egg-laying period". It said the cafe, toilets and beach would remain open. A beach cafe which operated at the site for more than 70 years was demolished by the National Trust in 2023 due to erosion, with a replacement opened in the car park. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Sea defences could be removed at beauty spot Cafe on eroding beach closes ahead of demolition Beach cafe set to be torn down in New Year National Trust Dorset Council Local Democracy Reporting Service
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Removal of Middle Beach sea defences given go-ahead
Work to remove sea defences from a Dorset beach is due to begin in September after the scheme to "allow nature to take its course" received planning National Trust is proposing "managed realignment" followed by "no intervention" at Middle Beach, Studland, in response to climate change and coastal said the stone gabions were "collapsing and a risk to the public" and their removal would result in a more natural beach within two Council approved the application after receiving no objections from Natural England, conservation and environment officers and Studland Parish Council. The site, between South Beach and Knoll Beach, is next to a 120-space car and sycamore saplings in a neighbouring area will also be removed as part of wider works to create areas of open sand for invertebrate species, breeding birds and reptiles, according to the Local Democracy Reporting agent, on behalf of the trust, said: "Once the defences are removed, the shoreline will readjust quite rapidly to a natural alignment, in line with the shoreline management plan, and ensuring the beach future."The trust said the works would result in a natural cove and an enhanced wildlife habitat for sand lizards and will also be timed to "minimise the impact on beachgoers, and avoid disturbing sand lizards during the egg-laying period".It said the cafe, toilets and beach would remain open.A beach cafe which operated at the site for more than 70 years was demolished by the National Trust in 2023 due to erosion, with a replacement opened in the car park. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Adult social care shake-up 'rethink' after protest
Plans to shake-up adult social care in Dorset are being "re-evaluated" following protests and feedback from users and their families, a council has said. Dorset Council is considering changes to adult social care services at six centres in Blandford, Swanage, Wareham, Ferndown, Shaftesbury and Sherborne. About 100 people staged a protest opposite one of the centres - Blandford Community Centre - in May, against the proposed reorganisation of where and how services are delivered amid fears some of the centres could close. Dorset Council said it wanted to move to a "hubs and spokes" model but insisted "no decisions have been made". A consultation runs until Monday. North Dorset Conservative MP Simon Hoare said the centre in Blandford should be left out of any reorganisation. "It's easy for people to get to, it serves not just the town but the villages around it," he explained. "We have the hub and spoke model, it's working. My view is - if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Pauline Saville, from Blandford, has a grown up son with learning disabilities who has received day care in Blandford for about 20 years. She said it was "vital" the service was protected and not moved to Sturminster Newton, as proposed. "It's very important to my son. It's where his friends are... If he didn't have it he'd be at home vegetating, and it's vital for me because it's my respite." Councillor Steve Robinson, cabinet member for adult social care at Dorset Council, said it was now "re-evaluating" its initial proposals. "The opportunity that people have got at the moment to contribute [to the consultation] online, the demonstration that we've had, or the letters that we've received, all go in and inform the decision making process," he explained. "This is not about what happens with our buildings, this is about how we provide services for people in our community." He added all consultation responses would be considered throughout June and July ahead of a decision in the autumn. 'Save vital day centre for wife who has dementia' Dorset Council
