Deal struck to keep Ludlow bus services
A deal has been struck to keep a town's two bus services running for the foreseeable future.
The 701 and 722 services in Ludlow will continue to be run by Minsterley Motors after bosses at the firm agreed a deal with Shropshire Council to renew their contract. No changes will be made to the timetable.
The news has been greeted with delight by bus users, who said it was good news for the town. It ends 18 months of uncertainty over the future of the services, which were in doubt after they were unexpectedly cancelled by commercial operators R&B Travel in January last year.
Minsterley Motors agreed to take on the buses with a subsidised service and have run them ever since. Councillor Andy Boddington, Shropshire councillor for Ludlow North, said: "Shropshire Council has agreed to renew Minsterley Motors' contract to run Ludlow's town services, the 701 and the 722 which serves the park and ride.
"This is seriously good news and I know that the decision will be popular with bus users. We've had too much chopping and changing on Ludlow's buses. We've had more than our fair share of bus troubles."
Peter Gilbert, chair of Bus Users Shropshire, agreed it was good news some stability in the town's bus service had now been confirmed.
He said: "The feedback we have had is that people in Ludlow are pleased with the service provided, so we look forward to that continuing."
