Shrewsbury Sunday bus services axe 'could hit town trade'
A decision to drop six Sunday bus services from Shrewsbury could have a devastating effect on the town's economy, the deputy mayor has warned.
Councillor Miles Kenny said cutting the services would reduce footfall to shops and businesses and increase carbon emissions as more people use cars to get into town.
He said: " It's good for the economic wellbeing of the town, we need to have a public transport service every day of the week.
"And Sunday is a time for visiting people, especially people in hospital, and if you can't do that by public transport then you have to use a taxi, which will cost more and might not be available when you want it.
"Sunday used to be a different day, it's now a working day, and if you go to Harlescott Sunday market you see it's full of cars. To get rid of these you need to have public transport.
"We're reducing public transport and then you wonder why we're not reaching carbon reduction targets and why businesses and people suffer the consequences."
The services will run for the last time on March 29 as Shropshire Council, which subsidises the services to the tune of £44,620 a year, says there is no more money available. But Councillor Kenny urged people who use the services to make their feelings known to Shropshire Council.
He added: "It would be far better I think if Shropshire Council divested the money to the town council."
Peter Gilbert, of Bus Users Shropshire, said: "Perhaps they could look at running services less frequently, maybe combining routes, making longer circular routes which would cut the number of vehicles and drivers needed."
He added: "What would be good is if the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital could help fund the service to allow patients and visitors to continue to use the service."
Affected routes include the number 1 from Gains Park to Telford, the 8A from Shrewsbury to Shrewsbury Business Park, the 20 from Shrewsbury to Radbrook Green, the 24 Shrewsbury to Harlescott Tesco (via Moston Road), the 25 from Shrewsbury to Harlescott Tesco (via Sultan Road), and the 27 to Bayston Hill.
* A story in yesterday's Shropshire Star stated Sunday bus routes being axed in Shrewsbury carried 32,800 passengers in the last year. There were, in fact, 32,800 passenger trips.
The difference is that a passenger can make multiple passenger trips. We are happy to clarify the matter.
