GHA Coaches: Reduced bus service to run in Shropshire
Bus routes on the Shropshire border which have not run for a month will be replaced – but with a reduced service.
They include the Ceiriog Valley and the Whitchurch to Wrexham route which joins up villages including Overton, Penley, Hanmer and Bronington.
It is thought that the number of journeys on the latter route, the 146 bus, could be at least halved from the previous 15 journeys a day.
Residents in rural areas of the Wrexham county were left without public transport when GHA Coaches went into administration in July.
About 300 people lost their jobs and bus routes across Shropshire, Wales and Cheshire were affected. Shropshire Council found alternative bus companies to take over its routes but Wrexham County Borough Council was left with eight services not replaced.
Wrexham Council said contracts have now been awarded for these remaining routes, but many will not run to the original timetables.
Start dates and new timetables have not yet been finalised with the traffic commissioner needing to approve the plan before it can be implemented.
Wrexham Council's lead member for transport, Councillor David Bithell, said: "We know the weeks since GHA Coaches went into administration have been an incredibly frustrating time for people reliant on public transport, but following the tender process we will be able to get things moving as quickly as possible."
The services covered by the new contract will be: 64 Llanarmon DC to Llangollen; 46 and 34 Wrexham and Whitchurch and Wrexham to Trevalyn; 6 and 17 Wrexham and Ruabon and Wrexham to Moss/Lodge; 42F Erbistock Area; 45F Maelor Area; 47F West Wrexham area.
Last week more than 100 people at a public meeting called for the bus service to be replaced.
