Three different ideas for the future of Bridport's town centre have been outlined as part of the Bridport Access and Movement Study.

Bridport Town Council commissioned the study, which aims to make it easier to walk, cycle and use public transport in are around the area, reducing reliance on cars.

A final report published by specialist consultants Streets Reimagined and Highgate Transportation was considered by town councillors at a recent planning committee meeting.

There were a number of the key things that arose from the public consultation, which were highlighted by Finlay McNab, director at Streets Imagined.

He said: "There's a real value of green spaces in Bridport, really important to how people use the town centre.

"There was a lot of debate around the core junction - South Street, East Street and West Street - but it's fair to say there weren't many comments to say it was working well currently.

"There was another theme of linkages just on the edge of the town centre and how links could work better.

"Identified were some good examples of infrastructure, cycling/walking infrastructure that Bridport has but also noting there were some bits that didn't link up or there were breaks in the network.

"Streets that came up, like Barrack Street, and the potential that might have for more pedestrian priority and locations where the pavements were quite narrow and the potential to address that.

"The town is growing and the road network is reaching capacity, there's other factors on the rise like climate change and the change in demographics."

Three options were highlighted from the study which were outlined by Mr McNab.

The first one included making incremental changes when opportunities came up, including improving the walking and cycling network between Vearse Farm and the town centre, as well as:

• Some of the temporary road closures used for market days - such as Downes Street and Barrack Street - could be made permanent
• Making more of the gateways into town - make clear transitions into the town centre, such as weight restrictions, and digital signs to direct people to car parks with spaces
• Looking at opportunities to widen pavements where they are narrow
• Wayfinding to be expanded or improved
• Better crossings near the Sir John Colfox Academy
• Improving pavement surfaces
• Explore siting out licences
• More seating
• Better cycle parking

Option two included option one and going a bit further:

• Looking at how to make the town centre more people friendly
• Making links for walking and cycling
• Actively discourage unnecessary traffic through town
• Could introduce a 20mph speed limit
• Create a short section of one-way at the top of South Street, but that still allows deliveries, which would allow widening of pavements
• Broaden wayfinding out into the town
• Barrack Street could be a pedestrian priority street
• Looking at deliveries by cargo bike rather than bringing trucks into the centre. It would include a drop off point out of the town centre and bringing it to town centre businesses by different means
• Looking at park and stride facilities

Option three would be much more transformational, introduce filters around the town and allowing buses to go through but restricting private vehicle access for certain times of day. This would also involve expanding the amount of delivery hubs there were and making the town centre, overall, a more pedestrian friendly area.

Councillors were asked to note the findings and agree to share the findings with Highways England, Dorset Council Highways, and developers of Vearse Farm, as well as submit the Access and Movement Study report to be used as part of the town council submission to the local transport review, review of the Bridport Area Neighbourhood Plan and any town centre policies or programmes being developed with Dorset Council or other agencies.

Town clerk Will Austin said: "The study itself provides the town council with ideas to take positive action to be a sustainable travel town, but were not inviting members to agree which of those ideas they want to highlight as their preferred option.

"The idea here is that you are able to present the study to people who can make a difference and can make changes to the town centre so that they can consider those three different options and feed them into projects and the work they are doing.

"There are no proposals on the table for changes to the town centre. If and when they do arise and you're for a particular option and that option isn't given to you, then you've put yourself into a corner."

Debbie Bond, vice president of Bridport Business Chamber, said its members gave some support to option three, no support to option two and were broadly supportive of option one. She highlighted the issue of parking and traffic in the town and said the delivery hubs could work but there could be problems with refrigerated and heavy deliveries, as well as cost.

Councillor Kelvin Clayton said that the town council having a clear preference could "give some weight behind it" but asked that the town council make a commitment to pick it up and carry on with ideas.

Cllr Anne Rickard said: "I'm not saying it doesn't need to change and get greener and all the things we want for it, I think Bridport is what it is and people come here because it is what it is.

"If we turn it into every other town that there is in the country, it will be like every other town anywhere.

"We've all got to understand that whatever happens there will be compromises for all of us. Everyone has to adjust and make everything work as best it can.

"I think some of the options are good and some of them put me right off because I thought it would be too modern and not like us, so the whole thing has to be done so sensitively and I think it will take a very long time."

Councillors also suggested looking at a bus service to serve villages to reduce car journeys into town, make the entrance to Bridport more attractive and reduce cars driving into the town centre and agreed to look at developing their own transport plan and set up a working group to continue and develop ideas.