Catch the bus - town offers free public transport for its residents every Saturday
It's Catch the Bus month and Oswestry town council is reminding residents of its free bus transport, not just in September, but throughout the year.
The council has teamed up with Tanat Valley Coaches to offer free travel every Saturday on the town centre services in a drive to reduce carbon emissions in the town.
It wants townfolk to leave the car a home and enjoy a free trip to town for shopping, a walk in the town park a lunchtime meal or drink or meeting up with friends.
The initiative has been running all year and Mayor, Councillor Jay Moore, said it was a great change for people to try out an enjoy the new style buses on the town service.
"I used to come into town on the bus when I was young, everyone did," he said.
"The buses then were old and shaky - these today are very impressive."
Trevor Wellsted, Director and transport manager of Tanat Valley Coaches, which runs the Oswestry town service all week, said the 20 seater buses were equipped with the latest air conditioning that ensured that germs, from Covid to the common cold, were removed, making public transport extremely safe.
“Most people would be surprised at what the bus has to offer now in terms of technology, comfort, affordability and accessibility. We have made big investments into our bus fleet taking on Mercedes Sprinter Buses with low floor for accessibility, fully PSVAR disability access, euro six lower emissions providing ultra-low emissions to ensure we are meeting carbon reduction agenda.
"They do twice the mileage per gallon that traditional buses."
Catch the Bus Month, a national campaign led by charity Bus Users UK, celebrates and promotes the social, economic and environmental benefits of bus travel, encouraging local people to celebrate the bus as a form of transport. It says switching just one journey in 25 to the bus would save 2 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Councillor Moore said “We are hoping we can encourage residents to use the free Saturday bus service as part of the Catch the Bus month. Alongside this we are very keen to look at how we can improve the infrastructure around the bus service in Oswestry. We are aware of a number of bus shelters for example that are now inadequate, both for residents and visitors, and require update to meet local need.”
