With lockdown set to ease over the next few months, BCP Council is ensuring it is ready for an increase in visitors with a further £2.5 million being added to seasonal response plans.

Cllr Mohan Iyengar, portfolio holder for Tourism, Leisure and Culture, said,  “We’ve already launched our summer plans setting out how we’re preparing to respond to the issues that matter to our residents and following the PM’s roadmap announcement we’ve upped that package further to make sure we are fully prepared.

“This last year has been tremendously challenging for our tourism and hospitality sector and we’re pulling out all the stops to make 2021 the year of opportunity by engineering the fastest bounceback possible.

“Our hotels, restaurants, bars, cafés, and many more businesses are all gearing up to welcome people back when it’s safe to do so.  And we’ve chosen to support our local economy further by putting on Festival Coast Live! – an exciting programme of outdoor activities and pop-up events to create a warm welcoming family atmosphere, for residents and holiday makers alike.”

From Monday 29 March a multi-agency command control centre (MACC) will be in operation until the end of September and will oversee the seasonal plan’s day and evening operations.

There will be an additional 75 seafront staff to welcome people, keep the beaches clean and safe, and provide a greater security presence.

Increased traffic management officers will be in place at key locations and car parks, including Sandbanks Ferry, Sandbanks car park, Branksome Chine, Alum Chine, Bath Road North/ South car park, Overstrand and Sea Road car park, Avon Beach car park, and Mudeford Quay car park.

Tow away zones will be in operation to deal with illegal parking, and plans are in place to increase the parking enforcement team, with more than 70 civil enforcement officers ready to be deployed in the peak summer months.

Plans are also underway to identify a suitable park and ride site ahead of the peak summer months.

Triple-sized bins are being installed along the seafront to deal with waste, and more daily collections will take place, with manual crews being stood up on days when the promenade is busy.

Around 30 electric BBQs will be installed along the seafront to reduce the use of disposable ones, and a 24- hour beach patrol operation will be in place to deal with incidents of overnight camping and bonfires.

Developments to the BCP BeachCheck app will include car parks so people can check how busy the beaches and car parks are before they arrive.

Extra security patrols, COVID marshals and additional CSAS officers will be deployed on the ground in hot spot areas to provide a uniformed presence and deal with anti-social behaviour and COVID regulations.

Public toilets will remain open with extended opening times into the evenings at key sites, and additional cleansing operations will be in place.

Dorset Police will have a summer policing plan in place, which includes increasing police resources for key dates and events.