Jurassic Coast Travel Reimagined: How One Bus Journey is Breathing New Life into South West England’s Seaside Towns

Published on July 19, 2025

Travellers along the gorgeous Jurassic Coast from Bournemouth, through Sandbanks, Studland and into Swanage using the Purbeck Breezer service have been rekindling their love affair with leisurely bit of coastal explorers — from just £3.50 one way! This exceptional bus-and-ferry experience also serves up stunning views and cliff-hugging coastal charm – and has an increasing role in kick-starting Dorset and the South West of England’s recovery as we head towards the end of 2020.

Cost-effective Seafront Access Boosting Authentic Visitor Figures

Recent rural and tourism-connected transport survey by the Department for Transport The survey by the Department for Transport also underscores that good value scenic public transport links can have a major impact on visitor choices. With a no-brainer price point to provide a seamless bus-and-ferry journey, the Purbeck Breezer is aiding the redistribution of day trip and staycation traffic from congested hotspots to the lesser-known coastal destinations.

Tourism South West points out that for summer 2024 visitor numbers to Swanage and Studland were up by almost 18% compared with the previous year – and that there was a significant hike in the use of public transport. Local businesses saw a significant increase in footfall as soon as this coastal route was launched.

Boost to Tourism Economy, at various Destinations

The report is based on regional tourism data from VisitEngland and found that visitors to coastal destinations spend on average £1,100 per trip on accommodation, food, attractions, and local transport. By giving people easy access to one coastline at many different seaside locations the route multiplies the economic contribution of each visitor – enabling them to visit cafés, shops, boat hire businesses, heritage attractions, etc in multiple towns.

Solihull -known for its powerspout Medieval moats, a labyrinth and pitch and putt course and its chalkpit- was visited by 250,000 in August 2024. Local Council statistics evidence these visitors for hosted tourism bringing almost 12million pounds to the local economy presumably this increased with greater access to transport.

Supporting Sustainable and Inclusive Tourism

UKs National Tourism Strategy cites the need to cut carbon emissions from travel by encouraging use of public transport. The Purbeck Breezer helps to deliver this vision by offering a sustainable, environmentally friendly alternative to the car. Dorset Council’s environmental impact assessment states that each bus passenger involved emits 70% less CO₂ than if they drove the same journey alone.

Its fit with the government’s Inclusive Transport Strategy is also obvious, providing essential travel solutions for the young, the old and those without cars, making sure that this perfect patch of coastline is accessible for all.

Extending Seasonal Staycation Opportunities

At a time when July and August are normally busy, places such as Studland and Swanage have struggled with overcrowding. Staggered arrival patterns are recommended by transport planners using the National Tourism Data. The Breeze service supports this through multi-stop, flexible journeys. Hotels and guesthouses along the route, meanwhile, are now said to have been buoyed by successful overnight package deals, which are also helping to ensure visitors spend longer in the area, especially during the week.

By spreading the flow of visitors throughout the year, the path can help sustain the economy without straining the environment.

Boosting Interconnected Coastal Experiences

And away from travel, the Breeze route helps to enrich the experience for visitors on the art trails in the South West Coast Path and the nature reserves of the Isle of Purbeck. National trail managers have said that the volume of trail users jumped by 20% last summer, and hundreds were taking the combination of a bus and a ferry to reach popular hiking points. Self-Publishers in Corfe Castle equipped with transfer-friendly guides had seen a 30% increase in bookings and could directly attribute growth to route access.

Evening Fun and Dining Gains in Bournemouth and Swanage

Train-and-travel international tourism has been revitalised here with tempo seeing significant increases in evening economy footfall. Bournemouth Entertainment Board statistics suggest there will be 15% growth in post-5pm sales in June – August 2024. Visitors are topping up sunset beach strolls in Bournemouth with evenings in Swanage’s historic restaurants and pubs, with local theatre programming and seasonal dining events keeping communities together.

Victory for Operators and Heritage Attractions

The Swanage Steam Railway is a major tourist attraction and it partners with bus operators to try to attract traveling tourists. Ticketing partners provide integrated rail-bus discounts, and excursion numbers attest to the benefit: Passenger volume for June–September 2024 surged 12% from joint marketing ventures. National Heritage Lottery Fund advice says that blending them into a wider collection’s stability brings greater financial resilience to a heritage site.

Strategic Collaboration Delivering Regional Growth

Multi-stakeholder: A delivery group comprising of Dorset Council, Visit Dorset and local transport providers. The review last year – citing Department for Transport funding frameworks – found the Purbeck Breezer to be a national best-practice example of a joint tourism, transport and sustainability approach. Evidence-based plans are now trying to emulate those same coastal bus-ferry services in Cornwall, Norfolk and Pembrokeshire.

Investment Returns & Future Expansion

What would it look like? The provisional plan is to run in the shoulder seasons, to provide weekend steam train connections and to extend ferry timetables. Economic modelling conducted by Dorset Council & VisitEngland indicates that the payback could be x3*: i.e. every £1 investment in route promotion could trigger £3 of visitor spending. The phase-one rollout is projected to inject £15 million of tourism revenues over five years.

Final Thoughts

For passengers disembarking in Sandbanks, to admire ferries floating on glassy water, or soaking up Swanage’s steam train nostalgia, the Purbeck Breezer transports more than people – it preserves memories, sustains livelihoods, and supports sustainable tourism. Humble though it is, this £3.50 journey ripples across coastal communities, heritage sites and visitor experiences, showing how careful transport investment can protect and open up England’s coastal soul.

References:
Department for Transport rural tourism transport survey, VisitEngland regional tourism economic impact data, Dorset Council environmental assessment, Tourism South West coastal transport statistics, Visit Dorset tourism strategy