Shropshire Council bids for government cash to protect bus routes

Shropshire Council has asked the government for financial support to keep vital bus routes running.

Last month, the local authority agreed to fund six routes until September, after operator Arriva said it was cutting eight services.

The firm blamed high fuel costs and a shortage of drivers.

Routes in Shrewsbury, Bridgnorth, Market Drayton, Oswestry and Ludlow have all been affected.

Council Leader Lezley Picton said a lack of passengers on some services was putting off bus operators.

However, she said it was a "vicious circle" with the scarcity of services also making buses impractical for many would-be passengers.

"We're told by some of our providers they are at 30% capacity, it hasn't recovered since Covid," she said.

"Just talking to two ladies today, they said if only we could only provide a bus service from Whitchurch to Market Drayton people could actually get on a train.

"Simple things like that... make a big difference."

Last month, Shropshire Council missed out on a £98m bid from the government's Bus Back Better fund which aims to "level up" transport outside London.

The local authority had hoped it would fund more affordable fares, green buses and real-time passenger information in the largely rural county.

"When we asked people in a bus survey what they wanted, most people said they just wanted a service, because there's huge areas of Shropshire even in the good times that didn't have a bus service.

"Then they wanted more services. We don't have a bus service on a Sunday - anywhere in the county."

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