DETAILED plans to make travel between Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch easier will be outlined at a launch event on Monday.

Three Towns Travel will be introduced following a successful bid for more than £12million to the Local Sustainable Transport Fund.

Its main aim is to encourage walking, cycling and the use of low carbon vehicles in a conurbation where travel was once dubbed “worse than Tokyo” by motormouth Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson.

Describing a time-consuming journey across the area, he said: “Bournemouth is full of old people who went there when they were young but simply couldn’t get out again.”

Three Towns Travel will be launched at the Bournemouth International Centre where lead officer Ian Kalra, Bournemouth’s Cabinet Member for Transport, Cllr Michael Filer and Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership chair Gordon Page will outline how transport will become easier, safer and more attractive.

The launch will include details of planned improvements for those who want to walk, cycle or use the bus.

Proposals are expected to include improved access and waiting facilities at stations, improvements to bus services and measures to encourage young people to walk to school, college or university.

It is hoped the improvements will have knock-on benefits to residents in the area including reducing childhood obesity and the number of casualties on the roads. More visitors could also be attracted to the area.

The plans have the slogan: “Preparing For Tomorrow’s Journey Today” and are designed to benefit locals and visitors alike.