Shrewsbury 'Green Horseshoe' bus route could bolster 'Mini-Holland' bid
A new bus route around a town's suburbs to ease hospital parking and traffic woes could move a step closer this month.
The Shrewsbury Green Horseshoe route is the brainchild of Meole councillor Bernie Bentick and, after firming up a detailed plan for the route, he is tabling a motion to ask for backing at a Shrewsbury Town Council meeting on September 13.
Councillor Bentick said: "This new bus route, which runs around the periphery of Shrewsbury from north-east at Haughmond Hill around the southern suburban wards to the north-west, will, if adopted, complement and enhance the Shrewsbury Mini-Holland bid to promote active travel in Shrewsbury and enable a fully Integrated Transport System to be developed for the town.
"The route is anticipated to run at five- to 10-minute intervals and links local communities with health facilities, including The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and some GP surgeries, educational facilities, including The Shrewsbury Colleges Group and two large secondary schools, sports activities, including Sundorne Health Village, Meole Golf Course and Shrewsbury Town FC, leisure facilities, including Haughmond Hill and Mereside Recreation Ground, shopping facilities, including several supermarkets and the Meole Retail Park, and Shrewsbury Business Park.
"The route would be ideal for the new generation of electric buses and it is anticipated that they would provide free WIFi and USB charger points, plus lockers to place shopping and goods securely for the journey."
An official "expression of interest" in the Government's "Mini-Holland" funding was lodged jointly by Shropshire Council, Shrewsbury Town Council and Shrewsbury Bid in August. If successful, the town could be in line for Government funding to give its roads and walkways a major upgrade.
The money would be for infrastructure changes to prioritise walking and cycling for short journeys within the town.
The focus of the Mini-Holland Programme will be on developing a comprehensive network of key walking and cycling corridors and introducing low-traffic schemes to the residential areas between these routes.
Shropshire Council officials initially resisted calls from Shrewsbury councillors to bid for the funding, but made a U-turn after Shrewsbury Town Council and Shrewsbury Bid agreed to pay for the consultants.
The route in full:
Start at Bus Depot on Haughmond Hill
Stop: Haughmond Hill Conservation Area
Turn left onto B5062
Stop: Shrewsbury Rugby Club
Stop: Rea Valley Tractors,
Stop: Shrewsbury Sports Village (Shrewsbury Town Practice Ground)
Cross A49 onto Sundorne Road & continue on B5062
Stop: The Shrewsbury Club
Stop: Sundorne Sports Village
Stop: Severn Fields Health Village
Stop: Just before Heathgates Roundabout
Turn left onto A5112
Stop: National Cycle Route 81
Stop: Telford Way Roundabout (Golf Driving Range)
Stop: Monkmoor Campus
Right at Monkmoor Road Roundabout onto Monkmoor Road
Stop: Police Station
Left onto Clive Road
Stop: Footpath to Upton Lane Recreation area & Belvidere Primary School
Stop: Abbots Green (existing 23 Stop:)
Left onto Crowmere Road
Stop: St Winefride’s RC Church
Right onto Belvidere Road
Stop: Belvidere Lane Junction (existing 23 Stop:)
Stop: Junction with Portland Crescent (near to St Giles primary school)
Left onto Belvedere Avenue
Stop: Junction with Preston Street
Right onto Preston Street
Stop: Shirehall
Left onto London Road
Stop: Prestfelde School
Stop: Shrewsbury Colleges Group
Stop: Emstrey Crematorium & Shrewsbury Cricket Club
Right onto Kingston Drive
Stop: Kingston Drive at junction with Holborn Drive
Stop: Junction with Wenlock Road (Mere Recreation Ground & Community Centre)
Left onto Wenlock Road
Stop: Shrewsbury Business Park
Right at Weeping Cross Roundabout onto Oteley Road (B4380)
Stop: Stop: at Hendrick Crescent
Stop: Fox Avenue
Stop: Maxfield Drive
Stop: Junction with Sutton Road
Stop: Percy Thrower’s Garden Centre & Aldi Supermarket
Stop: Montgomery Meadow (STFC Ground) & Lidl Supermarket
Stop: Just before Meole Roundabout (Meole Brace Golf Course & Bannatyne Health Club
Left at Meole Roundabout onto Hereford Road
Stop: Just before Pedestrian Crossing
Left into Meole Retail Park
Stop: Just after entrance
Left into northerly road to roundabout
Stop: At roundabout
Turn around at roundabout & travel south
Turn left at next roundabout towards Sainsbury’s
Stop: Sainsbury’s
Turn right & then left at roundabout
Stop: Meole Brace Park & Ride
Turnaround at roundabout & head north
Turn left at roundabout & then right at Retail Park exit roundabout onto Hereford Road,
heading north
Stop: Opposite Wayford Close
Stop: Meole Brace roundabout
Turn left at Meole Brace Roundabout onto Roman Road
Stop: Junction with Mill Road
Stop: Junction with Upper Road
Turn left at Longden Road roundabout onto Longden Road
Stop: The Priory School
Stop: Meole Secondary School (just before Bank Farm Road)
Turn right onto Bank Farm Road
Stop: The Priory School side entrance
Stop: Radbrook Green Community Complex
Stop: Just before junction with Hanwood Road
Straight on at Bank Farm Road roundabout then up Red Deer Drive
Stop: Junction with Crossbill Road
Straight onto Squinter Pip Way
Stop: Junction with Wrekin Dove Close
Stop: Junction with Meadowbout Way
Right onto Mytton Oak Road (B4386) heading east
Stop: Mytton Oak Rd, junction with Racecourse lane
Left into Evolution Way: Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) & follow road around Hospital
Stop: Opposite Pathology Dept & Elizabeth House
Stop: Treatment Centre main entrance
Stop: Shropshire Education & Conference Centre (SECC)
Stop: Main A&E entrance
Stop: Main Outpatients entrance
Turn right towards Copthorne Building (Ophthalmogy Centre)
Stop: Copthorne Building & Elizabeth House
Turn around & then right onto main RSH exit
Turn right at roundabout onto Mytton Oak Road (B4386) heading west
Turn right onto Gains Park Way
Stop: Just after junction with Mytton Oak Road
Stop: Junction with The Paddocks
Stop: Junction with Gains Avenue (North entrance)
Turn left onto Welshpool Road (A458) then right onto Calcott Lane
Stop: Just after junction with Welshpool Road
Stop: Just before junction with B4380
Turn left onto B4380 then right onto Bicton Lane
Stop: & Route ends at Bicton School (near Bicton C of E Church)
End of Route.
Bus turns around and returns to Haughmond Hill Bus Depot along same route, in reverse.