'Vital' Ellesmere to Shrewsbury bus route is relaunched
A 'vital' bus route between Ellesmere and Shrewsbury - previously run by collapsed bus firm GHA Coaches - is being relaunched.
The 501 service was run by GHA Coaches before the collapse of the company in July.
Shropshire Council agreed to provide interim emergency arrangements for the service which was operated by Lakeside Coaches.
Now Shropshire Council and Lakeside Coaches have entered into a five-year agreement to jointly provide the service, which will start running on Monday.
They also agreed to secure long term contracts to continue the 208 Ellesmere and 201 Wem town services for the next five years.
Neal Hall, director of Lakeside Coaches, said: "Lakeside Coaches were called upon six weeks ago at very short notice to temporarily operate the 501 service after the collapse of GHA Coaches.
"When the council acted very promptly to react to this sudden loss of service we were only too happy to step in and assist as we have a long working relationship of over 35 years with the council providing home to school services as part of our 20 route portfolio. Shropshire Council was very quick to secure this important and vital link for Ellesmere and the surrounding areas to Shrewsbury Sixth Form College and for many who work and shop in the county town.
"Since then Lakeside has been providing the service until a long term plan was reached for a sustainable and high quality frequency route."
In addition Lakeside Coaches has applied to integrate the 501 route with a service from Shrewsbury to Meole Brace School.
For more information and a timetable, go to www.lakesidecoaches.co.uk/service/
