Councillor calls for urgent action to get more buses back on the road

Bus services across Shropshire have declined by more than half since 2010, according to a damning new study.

It’s led to calls for urgent action to get more buses back on the road and back in service for the public.

“Bus services have not only stalled but been thrown into reverse.” said Councillor Julia Buckley, leader of Shropshire Council Labour Group.

According to new Labour Party figures buses travelled 4.36 million miles around the Shropshire council area in 2010 but only 1.59 million miles last year.

“That’s a cut of more than 63%.   But passengers in Shropshire don’t need figures to know how their bus service is being driven into the ground.  They know because they’re waiting longer for fewer buses or living in communities with no public transport at all.

Councillor Buckley is demanding improvement in bus services in towns and villages across the county and all neighbourhoods in Shrewsbury.

“There’s a lot of talk about the night time economy in Shrewsbury but no mention of a bus service to help people get into the town in the evening.

“It’s also disgrace that there are no Sunday services not even on Remembrance Sunday for people wanting to visit the Cenotaph in the Quarry Park.”

Labour’s solution to get bus services moving again is to create local transport authorities and introduce bus franchises.

A five point plan is being backed by Shropshire’s Labour Group:

1. Empower local transport authorities and reform funding: by giving local leaders more control and flexibility over bus funding and allowing them to plan ahead to deliver their local transport priorities.

2. Allow every community to take back control of their buses: by removing barriers that currently limit bus franchising powers only to metropolitan mayors.

3. Accelerate the bus franchising process: by supporting local leaders to deliver better buses, faster.

4. Step in to safeguard local bus networks: by providing more accountability over bus operators and ensuring standards are raised wherever you live across the country.

5. Support public ownership: by removing the Conservatives’ ideological ban on publicly owned bus companies and building on the success of award-winning public bus services still in operation.

Councillor Buckley added: “Labour’s plan will give every community the power to take back control of their bus services and support local councillors to deliver better buses faster.  And our plan means vital bus services being created and saved across Shropshire.”