Changes to Shrewsbury park and ride are positive, councillor insists

Simon Jones, the authority's cabinet member for highways and transport, said the decision to switch the park and ride timetable to one bus every 20 minutes provided an "achievable" target for the bus operators, Arriva.

Previously buses arrived every 10 or 15 minutes.

The changes mean buses stop running at 6.20pm, leading to criticism that none are available for late-night shopping on Wednesdays in the run-up to Christmas.

Councillor Jones said the changes would need time to bed in before a proper assessment on their impact could be made.

He said: "The new contract for the Shrewsbury park and ride service commenced on Monday, November 2, and it is too early to comment on how these changes have impacted on passenger numbers, until the service has been in operation for a reasonable time period so that an assessment can be made.

"However, we are confident that the new park and ride contract will provide passengers with the same level of service that it has previously, with bus frequencies set at achievable times."

The councillor also addressed the lack of park and ride buses for late-night shopping, saying that the council had decided to allow people to park for free in long-stay car parks because it cannot afford to fund buses.

He said: "This year Shropshire Council is again offering free parking from 4pm on Wednesdays in its long-stay car parks, but is unable to fund the running of a free park and ride service on Wednesday nights."

The changes had been criticised by town centre business owner, David Forshaw, of Gemstone Jewellery at Castle Street, who said the move would damage trade in the town.

He said: "Six or seven weeks before Christmas it is not a good idea to cut the park and ride from three buses every 20 minutes to two buses every 20 minutes.

"There is also no park and ride on Wednesday evenings for late night shopping. If anything they should be putting more buses on now, not taking them away.

"The buses are absolutely packed now and some people are waiting 20 minutes for a bus. If you are in Harlescott it only takes 20 minutes to get to Telford. Why are they going to wait 20 minutes for a bus if they can get to Telford in that time? It is going to kill trade."