Shrewsbury bus station 'needs improving but should stay where it is' say campaigners
Public transport users in Shropshire say there is no better site for Shrewsbury's bus station than the current one - but they say the building should be modernised.
Bus Users Shropshire and Sustainable Transport Shropshire among other groups have commissioned consultants to draw up a Movement and Public Realm Strategy to counter one that proposes interchanges for the Big Town Plan.
The groups say say they have looked at other possible locations for a bus station but that none are as suitable as the current location between the Darwin Shopping Centre and the railway station.
Peter Gilbert of Sustainable Transport Shropshire said: "We think the people in the 1970s who chose the bus station site did an amazing job.
"While the structure needs bringing up to date with modern toilets and better facilities, including electric bus charging, we think the location perfectly fulfils its intended function enabling passengers to change buses, to move seamlessly into the main shopping centre by escalator or lift, and is as close as you can reasonably get to the train station."
He added: "Buses are going to be with us for a long time: a network of modern, well used bus services will be a key part of getting to net zero emissions. A new gateway bus station for Shrewsbury can be an enhancement for that part of town and needs to be incorporated into the redevelopment plans for the Riverside."
A copy of the report can be obtained by emailing bususersshropshire@hotmail.co.uk or sustainabletransportshropshire@hotmail.com
