Cuts-hit Ludlow bus service numbers see growth

But operators have warned continued support is needed outside the tourist season for it to avoid the axe.

A decision to reprieve the threatened 490 service between the towns is paying dividends, particularly with tourists staying at sites on the route.

Ian Davies, operations manager at Lugg Valley Travel, said the firm and bus service supporters must find a way of "building passenger numbers" in quieter periods to safeguard its future.

In March there were fears the 490 timetable would be stripped back to school-run services only but daytime and weekend buses were saved at the last minute by members of Leominster Town Council and neighbouring parish councils agreed to pledge money to fund the full timetable for another year.

The move was followed by Lugg Valley merging some of the 490 buses with the 492 Leominster to Hereford service in August, creating direct services from Ludlow to Hereford for the first time since 2014.

The extra services are being run on a trial basis until next April but have been welcomed by visitors at places such as Ludlow Touring Park. Karen Price, who manages park with her husband David, said they had had their busiest season since opening in 2012, in part down to the availability of a regular bus service.

She said: "The extra buses have given a huge boost to the number of people staying with us. We have numerous examples of customers returning to the park now that we have a daily bus service because public transport is an important issue for them when they book to stay with us."

Edward Goddard, managing director of Shrewsbury-based Morris Leisure, which owns the park, said the service was important as the company had started work on a £200,000 caravan holiday home park with 36 pitches alongside Ludlow Touring Park.

He said: "This is a brilliant example of councils, the bus company, businesses and communities working together to provide and support a service that is very much appreciated."

Mr Davies, at Lugg Valley, agreed that passenger numbers were picking up but said: "Our advice to both visitors and local residents is to keep using the buses if they don't want to risk losing them. There are going to be times when the buses are quieter outside the main tourist season, but we must try to find ways of building passenger numbers during those periods."

The previous 492 service between Hereford and Ludlow had been halted at the Shropshire border in 2014 with the exception of two services for the school run on weekdays. It was reinstated by Herefordshire Council last summer through a Rural Transport Fund grant, before being saved from cuts once more in March.