South East Dorset conurbation

There are a number of satellite towns peripheral to the urban centres, including (listed clockwise) Wareham, Verwood, and Ringwood (Hampshire).

[3][4] The term has also been applied to the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole boroughs, excluding the surrounding towns, for example, in their 2006 Joint Local Transport Plan.

[6] The 2011 census gave a population of 466,626 for the conurbation, defined by the Office for National Statistics as the Bournemouth/Poole Built-up Area, and divided it into six main parts: Bournemouth, Ferndown, Wimborne Minster, Christchurch, New Milton, and Poole.

The A350 is Poole town centre's main artery, running north along Holes Bay to the A35, and as a single carriageway to Bath and Bristol.

There are stations at New Milton, Hinton Admiral, Christchurch, Pokesdown, Bournemouth, Branksome, Parkstone, Poole, Hamworthy and Holton Heath.