Shrewsbury MP Julia Buckley has declared she is “forging ahead on all fronts” with her campaign to secure significant improvements to local public transport, which she describes as “the magic glue” that connects communities.
The Labour MP stated that pursuing better rail and bus services has been a priority “from day one” of her election. She reported a surge in “optimism and enthusiasm” following a series of high-level meetings at the recent Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.
“I’m happy to meet with any company or organisation whose expertise, knowledge and experience might feed into my goals for better services in and around Shrewsbury,” said Mrs Buckley. “And I’m forging ahead on all fronts to make this a reality.”
High-Profile Meetings Fuel Optimism
During the Conference, Mrs Buckley held influential discussions with major players in the transport sector, including:
Go-Ahead, the multi-national public transport company, Angel Trains, leading rail industry experts, ComfortDelGro, the international transport group that operates Metroline bus services in major UK cities, and West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker, to discuss extending public transport links between the metropolitan county and Shropshire.
With an eye on the forthcoming nationalisation of West Midlands Trains, the MP has also organised follow-up meetings with the Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, and the Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Ken Skates, to explore the potential positive implications for Shropshire.
Community-Focused Bus Services
A key focus of the discussions was addressing the challenges in rural and urban connectivity. Mrs Buckley was “delighted to meet” with representatives from ComfortDelGro to discuss their “community-focused local bus services.”
She told the group, who supply transport in cities like London, Cardiff, and Manchester, about the current issues in Shrewsbury and how their investment might help. The talks focused on how vital bus services are for “connecting local communities, improving access to jobs, education and public services, and delivering the Government’s growth mission.”
The Direct London Rail Campaign
The campaign for a direct rail service to London also received a boost. In her meeting with Angel Trains, who lease rolling stock, the MP discussed both the direct London route and the potential for nationalisation to improve services for Shrewsbury.
Furthermore, she secured a commitment from West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker, who was “very keen” on the idea of a partnership with Shropshire to roll out public transport links to include Shrewsbury. Mrs Buckley advised locals to “Watch this space!”
Transport Integration Group Driving Local Change
The flurry of high-level discussions comes straight after the latest meeting of the Shrewsbury Transport Integration Group, which Mrs Buckley established and chairs.
The group brings together key stakeholders, including Shropshire Council, Shrewsbury BID, Transport for Wales, West Midlands Railway, Midlands Connect, and Arriva UK Bus.
“When I was elected last year, I was struck by how little joined-up discussion there was around transport in our area,” she explained. “I’m proud to have now got this moving.”
The most recent group meeting concentrated on securing an evening and Sunday bus service for Shrewsbury and increasing Transport for Wales services. The group also confirmed that Wrexham Shropshire & Midlands Railway representatives will be “resubmitting imminently” their bid for the direct London service.
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