Public Transport
<<<Picture of Bus Service 435 >>>
In order to encourage a shift to Public Transport improvements to the current level of services are necessary. Bus services should be enhanced by the introduction of a 7 day a week hourly service for the Ludlow-Shrewsbury route, together with a 2 hourly service to outlying villages. Evening services need to be extended as well. For more sparsely populated areas, a demand responsive service should be introduced, similar to Ring and Ride but open to anyone. An integrated public transport information system should be introduced together with integrated ticketing for buses and trains. A better information system is also required with Real Time Information for bus arrivals and departures.
The draft strategy for public transport in Shrewsbury, Shrewsbury Moves: A 10-year vision and plan is proposing extensive changes including dramatic improvements to bus services in Shrewsbury over a 10 year period. However the changes seem likely to impact on arrivals of buses from outside of Shrewsbury as only small buses will be allowed to cross the town centre. It seems that passengers arriving on larger buses (if they are still used on service 435) may have to transfer to smaller vehicles either in the vicinity of the Abbey or at Meole Brace park and ride. It is not clear what will happen if the capacity of the small bus is inadequate.
The proposals for replacing the town centre’s central bus station will also result in multiple sites being used which will be inconvenient for transferring passengers but it maybe that transfers will be enabled outside of the town centre.
Better integration with rail services is also required with the construction of an interchange at Church Stretton Railway Station.
The Ring and Ride scheme provides essential access for people who cannot other options. The ring and ride vehicles which have been made available by Shropshire council through local transport capital funding will need to be replaced in the next few years which would provide an opportunity to bring in electric vehicles which would reduce emissions.
The Shropshire Hills Shuttle bus service will operate at weekends between May to September in 2024 which reduces traffic on the Longmynd and Stiperstones area of the Shropshire Hills National Landscape. This reduces car traffic and parking in this delicate landscape.
Rail transport in Church Stretton is diesel powered but more energy efficient than a private car with one occupant. To achieve net zero by 2050, the line will need to be electrified but this is not likely to be carried out in the current decade.
Both the frequency of trains and their line speed should be improved to increase the attractiveness to users switching from cars. A clock face timetable would be ideal with hourly trains but with trains travelling South having destinations to both Cardiff and Swansea this would be complex.
Accessibility to Church Stretton station needs to be improved for disabled people and all users. A step free bridge to connect the platforms and/or lifts are required. Further details are set out below under Active travel. Heated enclosed waiting rooms are also desirable.
