Easing traffic congestion arising from daily peak travel and the annual summer influx of tourists were the priorities in developing a transport plan for the Purbeck area of Dorset.

Although the worst bottleneck is on the A351 that runs through the town of Sandford, leading into Purbeck, previous attempts to build a bypass on the outskirts of the town have foundered due to local environmental constraints.

Buro Happold was appointed to conduct an in-depth investigation into the environmental issues relating to the construction of a bypass. We were asked to propose a solution, and to carry out a traffic study to identify alternative means of travel that would result in fewer traffic jams.

Buro Happold developed an area-wide transportation strategy that recommended a range of measures to ease congestion. Amongst these are proposals to improve local road and rail infrastructure, provide more frequent buses and trains, better cycle routes, cycle hire and storage facilities, and the introduction of park and ride schemes.