Growing calls to keep bus station in Shrewsbury or face 'losing visitors'

Tanat Valley Coaches, local Green Party co-ordinator Hilary Wendt and Councillor Ruth Houghton have all written to Shropshire Council leader Peter Nutting to raise concerns.

It comes after Shrewsbury Town Council unanimously backed calls to keep the station in the town centre, and Councillor Nutting, also part of the town council, said the current movement strategy in the Big Town Plan needs to be "scrapped" and re-done.

In his letter, Tanat Valley Coaches managing director Chris Chadd said: "The lack of communication with regard to the Movement Plan is not an appropriate way to take this matter forward; we would like to help shape a solution with Shropshire Council which involves more than a ‘facility’.

"Truncating inter-urban and rural buses at one of three enhanced park and ride sites is not feasible. There are many practical issues, but the most important point is that passengers will not accept a time and price penalty of interchange, particularly passengers with concessionary travel passes who will now have to pay for part of their journey.

"Many of our services, for example the 501 bus, serve in-town areas such as Battlefield or the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and a diversion to a Park and Ride site will lead to a further loss of passengers. If local bus services which operate inside the Park & Ride ‘ring’ cannot enter Shrewsbury town centre, then they will be withdrawn and residents left to find an alternative means of travel. In many cases people will travel elsewhere or those who can afford it, use the train hence reducing patronage even more."

'Backward step'

Ms Wendt, Green Party co-ordinator for south Shropshire, said: “Demolishing Shrewsbury bus station is a very serious backward step. At a time when we should be doing as much as possible to reduce carbon emissions it is astonishing that the council should seek to make bus trips into and out of Shrewsbury and connection with rail much more unattractive than is currently the case.

"Bus users in Church Stretton who currently have a high quality service to the existing bus station will now find their trips terminated at Meole Brace and they will have to get off the 435, hang around and wait for another bus to take them to the town centre.

"If we wanted to make the car the most obvious choice this is what we would do.

Councillor Houghton, who represents Bishop's Castle, said: "The plans do not encourage visitors to shop in Shrewsbury especially if travelling in by public transport.

"Due to a lack of rural services such as banks many people visit Shrewsbury just to do banking or similar tasks, they are concerned that their visit becomes considerably longer due to having to travel to Meole Brace to catch a bus back to Bishop’s Castle.

"The bus station where it is currently located is convenient for quick visits in and out of Shrewsbury.

"The current proposals will also mean fewer people spending on Shrewsbury’s high streets."

The first consultation period for the Shrewsbury masterplan was due to end on March 3.