18th January 2012

LYME REGIS: U-turn on jet skis

Public opinion forces district council to reconsider

By Philip Evans

PUBLIC opinion has forced West Dorset District Council to think again about their controversial proposal to allow jet-skis to launch from the Cobb harbour for a trial period.

Following a Facebook campaign - “Keep jet skis out of West Dorset” - which attracted over 100 followers, district council officials have been inundated in recent days with complaints drawing attention to the unsuitability of the personal watercraft operating from the Lyme and West Bay harbours.

West Dorset MP Oliver Letwin also joined the legion of protesters and, in a letter to district council chief executive, David Clarke, he wrote: “I am bound to say that I rather share the view taken by my correspondents that the peaceful enjoyment of Lyme Bay is likely to be very much diminished by what are inevitably very noisy machines.”

Not consulted

The idea of allowing jet skis to use the harbour was raised at meetings of the harbour users in Lyme and West Bay last October where the district council claim there was “almost 100 per cent support”.

The Lyme meeting included a representative from Lyme Regis Town Council as well as business representatives from around the Cobb.

Harbour users have since denied this and town councillors complained that they had not been consulted.

In a letter to one of the protesters, district council leisure and tourism manager Nick Thornley recognised that the decision could “cause a reaction” so came up with the idea of a trial with a limited number of permits.

He said: “The aim of this was for everyone to see what a modern jet ski looked like and sounded like. Then it will be for the district council to consider a long term decision.

“We intend to look at this issue over the summer and encourage feedback based on fact rather than emotion and hearsay.”

But after being deluged with complaints, Mr Thornley has informed one of the leading protesters, Jill Newton, saying: “We will have another look at this issue.

“In looking at the jet ski issue in more depth via a consultation we did not want to cause any concern locally. It is a relatively minor issue in terms of harbour operation. It is not about income generation, as some have said, and as it is causing quite a bit of negative reaction locally I think we ought to change direction.

“We were really only having a look at the issue because many of the harbour users thought that our current policy to ban jet skis was odd or unfair.”

Mr Thornley added that a meeting was being held internally yesterday (Tuesday) to reconsider the decision to hold a trial period with limited permit holders.

In his letter to the district council’s chief executive, Mr Letwin said he thought it would be better to hold the trial at a different location “where this is more background noise and which depends less on the tranquility of its setting for its charm and attraction to tourists than Lyme Regis”.

And he added: “Weymouth and Portland springs to mind as one possibility.”

West Dorset District Council Leader Robert Gould said: “Many local people have contacted the district council with concerns about the proposal to allow jet skis to use Bridport and Lyme Regis harbours for a trial period during 2012.

“The trial would have allowed the pros and cons of use by jet skis to be looked at in more depth, before considering a longer term position. However, having listened to the local community we have decided not to proceed with the trial.”

PICTURE: NOT IN LYME BAY - District council officers have reconsidered their policy to allow jet skis to operate at Lyme Regis

LYME REGIS: U-turn on jet skis

Comments

Add new comment