Shropshire Council to provide further support to save under-threat bus services

Shropshire Council is to extend its financial support for a number of under-threat bus services until at least March next year.

In March 2022, the council agreed to support – until at least September 2022 – a number of both commercial and subsidised services that Arriva and other operators wanted to amend or withdraw from operating due to a fall in the number of fare-paying passengers.

As a result of the council’s support, these services have been able to continue operating, though with revised timetables on some routes.

Now Shropshire Council has agreed to continue its support for these services until at least March 2023, a  move that secures their short-term future.

It’s hoped that by next March the outcome of the council’s bid for levelling-up funding will be known, and a further update provided about the long-term future of these services.

The services that have received support since March, and that will continue to receive support, are:

• 9 – Wolverhampton to Bridgnorth
• 20 – Radbrook Green
• 21 – Reabrook
• 544/546 – Little Lyth and Pulverbatch
• 738/740 – Ludlow to Knighton
• 552/553 – Shrewsbury to Bishops Castle
• 435 – Shrewsbury to Ludlow
• 125 – Highley to Bridgnorth
• 64 – Market Drayton to Shrewsbury (Saturdays)
• 701 – Ludlow Town
• 745A/B – Pontesbury, Clun, Bishops Castle, Lydbury North area.
• 558 – Montgomery to Shrewsbury

The new timetables will remain in place.