Petition over bid to axe Shifnal bus services
Two main bus services serving Shifnal are set to be axed, it has been revealed.
Arriva will stop running its 8 and 8a services, which cover return journeys between Telford and Wolverhampton and run through Shifnal.
The company said the services, which also run through Cosford and Albrighton, are no longer profitable due to low passenger numbers. But residents have reacted angrily to the news, and are reportedly looking to launch a petition to maintain the service.
Councillor Kevin Turley, Shropshire Council ward member for Shifnal North, said: "I am looking to arrange a meeting with Arriva to understand where we go from here.
"As far as I know, the service is still quite well used. I believe some residents have launched a petition to try and keep the service. What we have always wanted is a bus that connects Shifnal and Priorslee Medical Practices."
Eve Ginever, spokeswoman for Arriva Buses, said: "Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, low passenger numbers has meant that route 8/8A is no longer a commercially viable route for us to continue operating.
"This was a decision not taken without due care and consideration, and while we tried to find an alternative solution which would enable those customers affected to still be served, we were unable to find a resolution which would be sustainable in the long term.
"Although we are regretful for the inconvenience this will cause people living along the route, we need to ensure that our resources continue to be directed into providing quality, effective transport services where they can best fulfil the needs of the Shropshire community as a whole."
The closure of the services comes a year after Arriva launched a new bus service to ferry users directly from Shifnal into Telford town centre. The X92 began on May 26 last year and runs services every 30 minutes during the day, from Monday to Saturday.
