The Shropshire bus routes soon set to benefit from more frequent services and lower fares

Shropshire Council leaders hope that investments in increasing some key cross county routes and town services, reducing the cost of park and ride services will help them unlock £73.5million more from the Government to take public transport services to the next level.

The bus network is facing serious challenges. Since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic the majority of public transport bus operators are reporting that many of their bus services and especially those in the more rural locations are failing to recover to levels beyond 70 per cent of pre-pandemic passenger usage.

But letting bus services whither on the vine in Shropshire is not an option even though 95 per cent of services are supported by public subsidy.

Councillor Ian Nellins, Shropshire Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for public transport – and chair of the cross-party working group – said they want to change people's perception and use of public transport.

"In our day it was all about closing railway lines and driving everywhere. Now with climate change we are trying to change all that.

"In Market Drayton I get it all the time from people that the buses aren't good enough.

"People have moved to parts of Shropshire knowing that the bus service isn't good but when they get here they realise that they can't get a taxi either.

"That's more of a problem when you need to go to hospital or cannot drive any more."

Figures also show that significant numbers of people do not have cars and having access to good reliable buses could help them get jobs and access services.

The new investment won't change things soon for places like Clun, Cardington and a multitude of other places which are completely without services.

But the council is confident that the changes which will be introduced over a three-to-four month period, from this August will give them the data which will unlock even more money.