£2,000 boost to help launch Bridgnorth park and ride scheme
A pilot park and ride scheme for Bridgnorth has been given £2,000 to help get it off the ground.
Shropshire Council has agreed to fund signs and A-boards to direct drivers to the scheme.
It is set to be launched on Saturday, April 11, by the Bridgnorth Chamber of Commerce and will be free for its first seven weeks thanks to donations from a number of town businesses.
The idea was originally put forward last year but had to be scrapped after Shropshire Council decided not to fund the £20,000 project.
The authority said it could use grant money towards a bus but not to pay a driver.
Deanna Deighton, Chamber member, said: "It's great we've been given this second opportunity.
"When we carried out a survey two years ago about what Shropshire Council's grant money should be spent on, the top two items were fixing the town hall clock introducing a park and ride scheme.
"Many members of the community are keen to how this project works and because we did a lot of work two years ago we are confident it will work.
"But it is a pilot project so we just want to see if the demand is there. We may need to make it bigger or smaller in the future, we just don't know."
The first pick up will be at 9.30am from the livestock market in Tasley, with the 16 seater minibus arriving at the bus stop outside Sainsbury's 10 minutes later. The final return pick up will be at 3.50pm.
The park and ride will not operate on June 13, August 29 and September 12 because of Nock Deighton sales at the livestock market.
The pilot project will until the end of September and after the first seven weeks the charge will be £2.
Mrs Deighton said: "For the first seven weeks the bus ride into town will be free thanks to the generosity of local businessmen and members of the Bridgnorth Chamber of Commerce, who will underwrite any deficit.
"The sponsors include Centralpower Ltd, Hickman (Stanmore) Ltd, Bridgnorth Real Window Company, David Deighton, Craven Dunhill, Keith Alderson and myself."
Mrs Deighton said she hoped visitors would use the park and ride scheme to explore the town.
"Car parking can be a trial on Saturdays when visitors drive into the town and return home after failing to find parking spaces.
"The chamber hopes this will help to solve the problem," she said.
