Bus services to increase in Ludlow

Minsterley Motors will be running transport at more frequent times from Friday, August 7.

Town services had been reduced to a single bus running hourly during lockdown.

Ludlow’s 722 park and ride service from the Eco Park will be running every half an hour on Fridays and Saturdays during August. The first bus from the Eco Park will be 8.15am. The last bus from the town centre will leave The Compasses at 5pm.

On Fridays and Saturdays, the 701 town service serving the north of the town will run half hourly between 8.15am and 5pm.

Monday to Thursday, a single bus service will run hourly around the town including to the park and ride.

The arrangements will be in place throughout August. The timetable for September will be announced later in the month.

Lee Jones, director of Minsterley Motors said: “We have been working hard to find ways of increasing the frequency of bus services in Ludlow. In these difficult times, we think it is important to provide the best service we can to support the people who live in Ludlow and those that want to visit the town. We don’t know when it will be business as usual but we will do our best to run the buses people need.”

Andy Boddington, Shropshire Councillor for Ludlow North said: “This is great news. We have been working hard in Ludlow to reboot the town centre after lockdown. We are moving from near deserted streets to busy socially distanced streets. The boost to park and ride services during August will help promote our town centre. It will bring much needed money into local businesses.”

Viv Parry, Shropshire Councillor for Ludlow South, said: “I really welcome this. Older people and people with mobility problems need buses to get to shops and the GPs. They need the buses to go and see friends.”

Passengers are being reminded to wear face coverings while travelling.

When King Street is closed on Fridays and Saturday, buses will operate from outside the Compasses on Corve Street.

Temeside is closed for essential gas works until August 14. Buses will not serve Weeping Cross and Steventon until the works are complete.

Sandpits Road is closed for major utility works aimed at preventing flooding at Whitefriars. The works are running ahead of schedule and are now likely to finish in January 2021 rather than February. During the closure, buses will divert via Livesey Road and not serve Whitefriars.