Bournemouth's seafront Land Train won't operate this summer

The Land Train on Bournemouth seafront won't be in operation this summer - with parts of the promenade and some beach huts cordoned off.

BCP Council say they also won't be opening the Beach Shack Kiosk and the West Cliff lift for the peak season.

It's due to their concerns about possible cliff slips, after two incidents over the winter at West Cliff and East Cliff.

A bank of sand at West Cliff – known as a sand berm – has been put in place to help with the short-term stabilisation, and will remain until more permanent works can take place.

Councillor Richard Herrett, BCP Council Portfolio Holder for Destination, Leisure and Commercial Operations said:

“Cliff erosion is a natural occurrence, and our Flood & Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) team and Seafront teams work closely all year round to proactively manage coastal flood and erosion risks across the BCP seafront.

“When slips do occur, public safety is our priority, and securing the sites and preventing further slips is our most important consideration.

“We know people may have questions about the two recent slips and what this means for the seafront.

“To ensure the safety of our visitors, parts of the promenade and several beach huts will remain inaccessible and cordoned off this summer whilst we work through longer term plans to stabilise the cliff area.

“Due to these cordons, there will be an impact on our seafront summer operations, with the Land Trains on Bournemouth promenade, Beach Shack Kiosk and West Cliff Lift unable to operate this year.

“We thank residents, visitors and beach hut licensees for their understanding as we prioritise keeping them, and our staff, safe.

“In the short term, our teams are working to keep both cordons as tidy as possible throughout the year. At West Cliff, a temporary pathway is in place on the beach due to promenade restrictions. At East Cliff, the promenade has been narrowed due to the cordon but remains open to visitors.”

The land train at Hengistbury Head will still operate this summer season normal.

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