Edition 13

Autumn 2015

Chair’s Message See you next week?

Once in every few years the Local Transport Authority maps out how it plans to oversee and provide for bus services in . is in the process of developing its plan for doing this for the five years that start in April 2016. Members of your Bus Users Shropshire committee met with the Shropshire Council cabinet member and council officers and consultants at the beginning of this month to put our views how things could be better for passengers with little extra expenditure on their part.

Our Members’ Meetings are a good way to exchange information and viewpoints face to face. So we look forward to being able to feed back Members Meeting to you in person what happened at our meeting with Shropshire Council, as well as having updates from you from around the county. Saturday 26th September The Members’ Meeting will be held in the Roy Fletcher Centre , Cross 11am Hill, SY1 1JE (located two minutes’ walk from the market hall) on Saturday 26 th September at 11am . Roy Fletcher Centre Cross Hill Other goings on… Shrewsbury

Good news in the south where the 490 service between and Leominster is to have the recently strengthened timetable extended to include Saturdays. This is a real coup for all the people who have campaigned with us to get a service that is suitable for people to use to get to Ludlow and out again. Thank you Council for listening! The funding for this service is in place until March 2016 so we need people to ride the service often to make it as close to profitable as possible if we want it to continue.

Shrewsbury town centre is a challenge for buses which often fall behind time because of congestion caused by cars. We have been meeting with Friends of the Earth and developed a joint proposal to Shropshire Council to restrict vehicle access to the High Street during the main shopping times of 10am to 3pm so that buses and emergency vehicles can get through. Shropshire Council will be consulting soon on changes to the inner bypass and signposting to car parks and we hope our proposal will be included in that.

Bus Users Shropshire is getting around the county will continue this Public Meeting th autumn with a public meeting in on Saturday 7 Saturday 7th November November at 1045 in the Festival Drayton Centre. These meetings are important for bringing our message to local people and to give them a 10.45am chance to say what’s bugging them about their bus services. As with all

Festival Drayton Centre of our meetings – Members’, Executive Committee, or Public – it’s always nice to see members so we hope to see some of you there too! Frogmore Road

Market Drayton Peter Gilbert, Chair of Bus Users Shropshire

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Meeting Notes

There is a Members’ meeting twice a year, one of which is followed by the AGM where Members are elected to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee meets every two months to deal with the main business of BUS. All Members are welcome to attend meetings of the Executive Committee as observers. About half of the meetings of the Executive Committee take place at the Premier Inn close to Shrewsbury’s bus and train stations, with the remainder at other towns within Shropshire. We also aim to organise some Public meetings to give Shropshire people the chance to make their views known and to receive immediate responses from bus operators and/or Shropshire Council. In 2014 Public meetings have been held in , Bishops Castle and in , and in 2015 in Whitchurch so far.

This is a summary of the Executive Committee meetings held since the last newsletter . ______

Executive Committee 30 June 2015

4 members attended plus one as observer.

Matters arising • Shrewsbury Sunday buses. Cllr Pam Moseley had responded on 20 June saying she would follow up with the Town Clerk to ensure progress in discussions with Matt Johnson. • Ludlow to Leominster 490. Nancy Morgan has arranged a public meeting in Leominster on 6 July. Les B will be attending, and Peter has produced publicity posters and distributed media release. Les L has said he is hopeful that Herefordshire Council will extend the current 490 timetable to Saturdays. • Timetable displays survey. The last newsletter contained bus stop survey form, and three responses have been received so far by email. There is a need for photos to be taken in different parts of the county for use in media release. Peter agreed to take photo of Neil in Bridgnorth, to contact Joan about a photo in the Oswestry area, and to issue media release in mid July. • Meetings with bus operators. There has neen no reply from Bryn Melyn. Peter and Keith met with managers Jamie Crowsley and Steve Howson who provided updates from previous meeting. The main change is a reshaping of Arriva services in the area with new route numbers and Forthcoming Meetings timetables and routes. Arriva’s 890 to Bridgnorth service will now run on to Telford as Members’ Meeting one service, taking over the 99 route. Roy Fletcher Centre, Cross Street, Shrewsbury • Subscription rate. This is to be put on agenda for on Saturday 26 September at 11am. next committee meeting (August) in time to be Executive Committee discussed at Members’ meeting in September. Meetings open to all Members as observers • Powys County Council consultation. Peter responded on behalf of BUS. Roy Fletcher Centre, Cross Street, Shrewsbury on Saturday 26 September at 10am. • Future meetings. It was agreed to continue the current frequency. Public meetings in other towns Festival Drayton Centre, Frogmore Road, will be dependent on funds available or identifying Market Drayton on Saturday 7 November at free rooms eg in a pub. 12noon. Will there be a bus service to the new Waitrose in • Premier Inn, Smithfield Road, Shrewsbury on Shrewsbury. Matt Johnson had responded that Friday 18 December at 11am there would be.

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Meeting Notes (continued)

Bridgnorth services Neil reported that a public meeting has been arranged at Bridgnorth Library on Wed 15 July at 10am, although it is not known who called the meeting. Neil, Les B and Peter can attend. Bridgnorth town service 101 is to cease and a changed 436 service is to provide local town journeys (with effect from 20 July). Keith drew attention to the following shortcomings in the new timetable: • some journeys divert via Barrow Street in Much Wenlock but have been given no more time than the ones that do not • the routing within Bridgnorth gives an asymmetric service ie hourly in one direction and half hourly in the other depending on which part of town one is in (half hourly from Sidney Avenue to High Town but hourly back to Sidney Avenue, and hourly from The Grove to High Town but half hourly back to The Grove) • the new service now visits Aldi in Low Town but without additional time for the detour • there is no ‘standing time’ at either end of the route to make up time if delayed. The reliability of the service is likely to be a problem and it was agreed that BUS should draw concerns to the attention of Matt Johnson without delay.

Copyright There was a discussion about including reference to letters and articles from newspapers, either in whole or in part, in the Newsletter. All reference to newspaper articles had been discontinued pending a decision on what we can/cannot do in time for next edition. It was agreed to seek a legal opinion and for this to be minuted at next committee meeting, and also to seek the view of the Shropshire Star newspaper group.

Shropshire Bus Strategy Cllr Simon Jones had responded to our request for a meeting and said that a scoping exercise was being undertaken by consultants, and that he would be in touch in a few weeks.

Bus Users UK AGM Les B is attending. He is also attending the Bus Live event at the NEC. ______

Executive Committee 19 August 2015

5 members attended plus one as observer.

Matters arising • Shrewsbury Sunday buses. Cllr Pam Moseley said that she had been told there is no money available for them. Peter advised her that the drafting of the 2016- bus strategy represents an opportunity for her to try to get Sunday services included in it. • Ludlow to Leominster 490. Les Lumsdon and Les Bell attended a public meeting in Leominster on 6 July. The meeting was attended by at least 30 people, most of whom had not attended the launch in Ludlow. The service is to be extended to Saturdays from 12 September following pressure from a Herefordshire councillor. Names of potential village champions were not obtained during the meeting. It was agreed to contact Nancy (the organizer) to offer to write a media release in relation to the Saturday service. • Meetings with bus operators. We have still not had a reply from Bryn Melyn. We will ask Matt Johnson for contact details of GHA when we meet on 3 September. • Powys County Council received about 1000 responses to their transport consultation. It is understood

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Meeting Notes (continued)

they are pursuing a third option to go forward. • Timetable displays survey. Some responses have been received. A photo was not taken in Bridgnorth as there were no suitable bus timetable cases in the area. It was agreed to photograph some examples in Shrewsbury and issue a media release. • Peter, Les B and Neil attended an information session by Arriva in Bridgnorth on 15 July. Arriva staff provided timetable information to individuals about the new network of services in the greater Telford area. We were able to reassure people about the 436 service and town service with some Shropshire Council timetable information. • Keith emailed Matt Johnson with concerns about the new 436 timetable. • Les B attended the Bus Users UK AGM in Cardiff. • Les B attended a Friends of the Earth briefing by Shropshire Council’s IP&E company about air pollution in Shrewsbury. Most of the town centre meets EU safety levels, with the exception of the area around Chester Street/Castle Foregate. • Peter attended meetings with Friends of the Earth and Shrewsbury Town Centre Residents Association concerning the joint BUS and FoE proposal to close High Street to cars Mondays to Saturdays 10am to 3pm. He also helped survey businesses in the town which were mostly in favour of the closure, especially if arrangements could be made to receive deliveries. The co-operation with FoE was applauded and BUS needs to keep a watching brief on developments as Shropshire Council consults on proposals to reduce town centre traffic. It was noted that any reduction in traffic would help buses to run to schedule.

Financial report and subscription levels Currently BUS has funds of £89.85 at bank and £82.95 in cash to last until spring 2016. We have 41 Members and 4 Joint Members plus 57 Supporters. Current subscription levels of £6 Concession and £8 Full are insufficient to cover the costs of printing and mailing the quarterly newsletter, and room hire for four meetings a year. It was agreed that we will consult with our membership on increasing the subscription to £10 Members and £15 Joint which should generate around £130 extra a year. It was noted that £10 a year represents extraordinary value being less than 3p a day. It was agreed to introduce the topic at the Members’ Meeting in September, and the Executive Committee will make a decision following receipt of members’ comments.

Copyright Peter had received legal advice from Terry Jones Solicitors (John McCormack) on 2 July 2015 who provided guidance that we should acknowledge all sources and write to relevant newspapers with wording of ‘…unless we hear to the contrary we shall assume you have no objection to referring to or including articles or letters on relevant topics in our newsletter’. Peter had also emailed the editor of the Shropshire Star group of newspapers (Martin Wright) on 2 July 2015 who had given permission for BUS to use articles, photographs and letters from any of the Star’s group of papers. Following discussions with Pat who expressed concern at any assumption of agreement, particularly from any national newspapers, the Executive Committee agreed that we will only include actual copy from a newspaper in the newsletter with the written permission from the relevant paper or paper group. Pat offered to check any draft newsletter copy prior to publication to ensure it is legal. It was agreed to write to North Newspapers, Newsquest, Ludlow Advertiser and Ludlow Ledger to seek written permission for future use, and to send newsletter copy to Pat if newspaper extracts are to be included.

Shropshire Bus Strategy A meeting has been arranged for 3 September with Portfolio Holder Cllr Simon Jones, Matt Johnson and Mouchel consultant Tim Jordan. The following list of issues agreed at our committee meeting on 9 June were still considered relevant:

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Meeting Notes (continued)

◊ Information strategy (this includes availability of timetables at bus stops, bus and train stations, libraries, tourism centres etc, route map) ◊ Commercial services and social marketing ◊ Smart ticketing (this includes inter-availability, provision of detailed usage information to the Local Transport Authority and use of GPS tracking for real time arrival information) ◊ Bus Forum ◊ Gateway/termini facilities (this includes facilities and material condition of Shrewsbury bus station, passenger security at Shrewsbury bus station, waiting facilities at other termini eg Ludlow, location and suitability of termini eg Bridgnorth) ◊ Service provision (this includes Sunday services particularly for summer events and Christmas shopping, a later cut off for evening services, cross border services, market day services to market towns perhaps as a pilot, community transport). We discussed how BUS could assist eg by helping to publicise timetable changes, or by servicing a Bus Forum. ______

Route Focus

Route 436 Shrewsbury to Bridgnorth

Route 436 provides a frequent service between Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth via the A458, and is one of a number of routes linking the market towns to the county town of Shrewsbury. It is run with subsidy from Shropshire Council (and has been for many years) every hour on Monday to Saturday daytimes. For most of its life it has been operated by Arriva and its predecessors. In more recent years it has suffered some reliability problems due to the time taken to complete the round trip (although this improved earlier in the year) and some capacity issues at peak times.

The route carries quite a mixture of passengers making a variety of journeys. From workers and students to shoppers, people visiting friends and those on personal business, passengers are travelling to both Bridgnorth and Shrewsbury as well as from one town to another. The route also attracts walkers to much Wenlock as well as visitors to this town and the other two. It is also used within Bridgnorth from the Wenlock Road area to the town centre, and at the Shrewsbury end where there are other more frequent services along most of the route.

Leaving Shrewsbury bus station we travel through the town centre, along Abbey Foregate and onto Wenlock Road. Onwards through the villages of Cross Houses, Cressage (where it diverts around a large housing area) and Harley, before it crosses Wenlock Edge and drops down into the pretty town of Much Wenlock with its historic priory. Leaving Much Wenlock most of the journeys travel via the main road, but some divert via Barrow Street to serve the new housing area of Forester Avenue, before continuing via Morville to Bridgnorth, where we enter the town centre through the historic Northgate (there is no bus station in Bridgnorth). Continued overleaf

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Route Focus (continued)

This route has a long history and 39 years ago was operated by Midland Red as their service 964 between Shrewsbury and via Bridgnorth on a commercial basis. It provided nine journeys each way on Mondays to Saturdays plus two on Sundays. By 1979 the route had been cut back to Shrewsbury to Bridgnorth, the number of journeys reduced to seven each way and the Sunday service withdrawn. When Midland Red was divided into a number of smaller companies in 1987 the route passed to Midland Red West who renumbered it 436. Ten year’s later as part of Midland Red West’s withdrawal from Shropshire the route was taken over by a West Bromwich based company called People Express (subsequently Pete’s Travel) and extended to . After five years the service was cut back to Bridgnorth again and increased to hourly with alternate subsidised journeys operated by Midland Red North, but reliability problems with Pete’s Travel resulted in Midland Red North (which became Arriva) taking over the whole service subsidised by Shropshire Council in 2007.

During the 39 years the route has remained largely unchanged. The diversion in Cressage was introduced in 1991 while the diversion of some journeys in Much Wenlock started in 2001. Then in July this year the route in Bridgnorth was changed to incorporate the town service, running via Sydney Cottage estate, Low Town and The Grove, and the whole service was taken over by GHA Coaches with half the journeys operated commercially.

The other significant change to the service was two periods during which a Sunday service was operated. From 1990 to 1995 a service of one or two journey each way was provided during the summer by a variety of operators using Countryside Agency funding. Then from 1998 to 2011 a two hourly service was provided all the year round , subsidised by Shropshire Council using funding from the Government’s Rural Bus Grant. This was part of the Stars network of seven routes radiating from Shrewsbury. The Sunday service was operated by Arriva, Pete’s Travel and Choice Travel at various times.

Keith Gallop ______

NEXT EDITION (Published beginning of January 2016)

Please submit your contributions no later than 8th December 2015

It would be really helpful to receive information electronically in Word or plain text format, and digital photos, which should be sent to: [email protected] Alternatively, you can send written information, or photo prints which will be returned, to: Bus Users Shropshire, c/o Shrewsbury Coffeehouse, 5 Castle Gates, Shrewsbury SY1 2AE

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Media Monitor This is the section where we feature articles or letters from local newspapers or other media about bus services in Shropshire. If you see anything about buses in your local paper, cut it out and send it in to the address at the bottom of the back page.

Evidence sought by bus campaign

Campaigners for better bus services are calling for people to send them evidence of the poor state of information at bus stops around the county. Members of Bus Users Shropshire say Shropshire Council, the authority responsible for supplying timetables at bus stops, is failing to ensure adequate information about bus services is available to would be passengers.

Peter Gilbert, chair of the campaign group, said: “A very basic part of an effective service is having up-to-date and accurate information about services at all main bus stops. Unfortunately across Shropshire we know of many bus stops with no information, with out-of-date information, with information about only some of the services that stop there, or bus stops at places where no buses stop. We would like to hear from people in all parts of the county of stops they know to have missing or wrong information.”

For the bus stop information survey, the group is looking for details such the bus routes affected, the exact location of stop with description,, direction of travel, what is wrong about the information, and the date information at the stop was seen. A form to record the information can also be found at www.bususers.org/ your-local-group/bus-users-shropshire or sent on request by contacting Bus Users Shropshire on 07580 564458 or by mail c/o Shrewsbury Coffeehouse, 5 Castle Gates, Shrewsbury SY1 2AE

Shropshire Star, August 2015

The crisis of the rural bus

An article appeared in The Guardian in August highlighting the fact that we’re ignoring the crisis of our most democratic public transport: buses. Using North Yorkshire as an example, where 90 bus services have been axed in the last year and the local authority are consulting on another 25% reduction in subsidies, it highlights the effect of government cuts on public transport provision. Among the sobering facts included was that between 2009 and 2014 council’s spending on local transport services fell by 19.7% (Institute for Public Policy Research report on bus travel), and in the past year Cumbria has cut its bus subsidies by 44%, Herefordshire by 39%, and Dorset by 24%. It also quoted the Campaign for Better Transport’s report that about 2,000 services and routes have been lost since 2010 due to funding cuts.

Following the article three letters appeared in the newspaper which welcomed the fact that someone in the national media had noticed the cuts that are destroying so many services outside London. With examples as diverse as North Yorkshire and Hertfordshire they noted that bus service cuts impose a virtual curfew on many people in rural areas, and some suburban areas. To read the letters, and the article they were in response to, go to http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/aug/31/bus-service-cuts-impose-virtual- curfew-on-many-people-in-rural-areas ______MEMBERS VIEWS Please let us have your views on this newsletter, anything you have read in it, or on any bus subject. Letters should be sent to the address at the bottom of this page .

______

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NEWS & PHOTOS Diamond Bus get renewed contract to run that there have been problems. Diamond has, to the Ludlow to Kidderminster service best of my knowledge, addressed these problems. But if the service doesn’t run reliably, I am sure you Diamond have been awarded a new contract to will let me know.” continue running the 2L service between Ludlow ______and Kidderminster. Local Councillor Andy Boddington reports it is good news that the service Motors keep Ludlow town buses is continuing. “This is a vital service for people who live on Clee Hill to get into Ludlow for shopping, Shropshire Council has agreed to renew Minsterley hospital appointments and education. Many Motors’ contract to run Ludlow’s town services – the people use the 2L to go shopping in Kidderminster. 701 and the 722 (which serves the park and ride). Others, including myself, use the service to head This is good news and the decision will be popular out to go walking or to return with tired legs from a with bus users, as Ludlow has had more than its fair walk.” share of bus troubles.

There was a time when buses had no disabled or buggy access and broke down with depressing regularity. After R&B Travel withdrew from running the services, Minsterley stepped in at short notice. The quality of service was a revelation with new, low floor buses and friendly bus drivers. However, there were still problems. At one point bus services reduced because they were too popular, the routeing was all round the houses, and there were no services to Tollgate Road. There were still a few bus breakdowns although Minsterley has a spare low floor bus on hand to keep the service going.

Mike Knott, Transport Planning & Review Team Leader at County Council, gives the details: “Service 2L is partially subsidised by Worcestershire and Shropshire County Councils. We have recently undertaken a competitive tendering exercise for the off-peak service and this has now been awarded in accordance with our standard procurement procedures to Diamond Bus, after consultation with Shropshire County Council. The new contract and revised timetable will commence on 1st September 2015. We shall monitor the operation of the contracted journeys as closely as our resources permit and then in conjunction with Shropshire County Council we will review the service in the Spring of 2016.” Finally, in February this year, the town service settled down with the 701 and 722 routes. That seems to Councillor Boddington says: “Not everyone will be work well, although it would be better if the buses happy with the decision to allow Diamond to retain left the town centre 15 minutes apart rather than at the contract. Several people have complained to the same time, and locals report that the quality of me about unreliability and breakdowns. Both the service is excellent. Shropshire and Worcestershire councils are aware ______

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NEWS & PHOTOS (continued) Ludlow21 The 490 support group

Ludlow21 is looking for a BUS rep to join their In May a Monday to Friday shopping service to group. Here Denise Thompson of Ludlow21 explains Ludlow and Leominster was introduced on the 490 what it’s about. bus by Herefordshire Council following a successful campaign by local people supported by Bus Users Ludlow 21 was established in 1998 to promote Shropshire and Rail for Herefordshire to restore the sustainable living in the Ludlow area and over the much needed link between the two towns. With years has successfully established many action funding for the route in place only until March 2016 groups. However, the acceleration of the climate the aim of BUS was to help local people to form a change threats identified in the 5 IPCC '490 Support Group' with champions in each village (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) along the route to keep up public awareness. assessment reports, exacerbated by diminishing resources, an ever growing world population and The 490 support group is a small group of people global political instability is of enormous concern who live on and use the bus between Leominster and and Ludlow21 is refocusing its activities accordingly. Ludlow. Its prime aim is to encourage people to use the service and to lobby Herefordshire council to They believe the time is ripe for Ludlow to seize the retain the service in future years when budgets will initiative and become more self sustaining and are be cut yet again. This was the focus of discussion at sure that, within the community, there is the a meeting held in Leominster on 6th July. The expertise and resources to achieve this. They have meeting was attended by over 30 people, two developed a new vision statement, which was Herefordshire Councillors (Felicity Norman and ratified by Ludlow 21 members, representatives of Sebastian Bowen) and representatives of BUS. Community groups and the Town Council at a Councillor Bowen announced that he had been able special meeting on 2 July 2015, as follows: to persuade the council to re-instate two trips on a ‘Ludlow 21 will work with the community to Saturday as well as the weekday service, which start increase self sustainability and build resilience to on 12th September. The Saturday service has the the impact of climate change, diminishing resources same timings as weekdays enabling mid morning and and global instability.’ lunch time visits to town.

Six groups (Transport; Energy; Food and Farming; Housing and Planning; Reduce/Reuse/Recycle; Schools and Education) have now been set up to take the vision forward. Ludlow 21’s role is to collaborate with local groups and then to co- ordinate activities across all the sectors to work towards a sustainable and resilient Ludlow. Each group will have one or more specialist advisors, a Ludlow21 Board member and representatives from the community groups concerned. The Transport group will encompass road, rail, cycling and walking and covers public, private and community transport systems including road and rail networks.

The Ludow21 transport group member is Denise Thompson and she would like to invite a Ludlow People in the meeting noted the limitations of the representative of the Bus Users Shropshire to join existing service: connections are not guaranteed to them. Anyone interested should contact her at at Leominster, no through fare to Hereford, [email protected]. lack of marketing of the route and the lack of a ______Saturday afternoon service. The group pledged to

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NEWS & PHOTOS (continued) continue the campaign and recruit bus champions which were won by GHA Coaches based in Ruabon, in each village. It is urging people (including car North Wales. They combined them into one through owners) to make as much use of the services as service, to maintain the hourly service to Shrewsbury possible to ensure they continue. They are looking and give a regular 30 minute frequency within the for enthusiastic people to promote the service in town, which also started on 19th July. Some earlier Overton, Richards Castle, Orleton, Bircher and journeys from Shrewsbury and later ones from Luston. Bridgnorth were added, but the last journey from Shrewsbury is now nearly two hours earlier. Nancy Morgan of the 490 Supporters Group said, ‘We are delighted and grateful that Herefordshire Council has recognised the need for Saturday services too and has found funds to support the extra buses. To secure the services beyond next spring we need everyone to use these buses. If residents along the route feel able to encourage others to ride the 490 please get in touch with me.” Nancy Morgan can be contacted on 01568 780761. The ‘490 Supporters Group’ is being assisted by volunteers from Bus Users Shropshire and Rail for Herefordshire. ______

All change in Bridgnorth A few days before introduction Arriva called a Two months ago Arriva announced a major revision meeting in Bridgnorth, as described by Radio of their services operated from the Telford depot Shropshire, which turned out to be a promotion starting 19th July, which included two routes from event where Arriva customer relations personnel had Bridgnorth. Routes 99 to Telford and 890 to new timetables and could tell people about changes Wolverhampton were combined into one through to their route. However, they couldn’t say anything service 9, giving an increased frequency over the about the 436 or town services in Bridgnorth, other Bridgnorth to Telford section from every two hours than GHA would be running them. Fortunately, Bus to hourly. However one of the consequences of the Users Shropshire was represented at the event and change was the loss for Sydney Cottage estate of told people attending about the new 436 service as their direct hourly service to Wolverhampton. well as handing out BUS leaflets.

At the same time Shropshire Council retendered Sadly, GHA’s timetable was too ambitious and had to service 438 to Shrewsbury as well as the 101 town be changed from 1st September, which reduced the service. Arriva lost the contract for both services Sydney Cottage estate part of the town service from

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NEWS & PHOTOS (continued) every 30 minutes to hourly. Ironically, we had views. The subsidised routes include the following reports earlier in the year that the town route 101 services that run into Shropshire. had improved considerably since Arriva took it over 96 Shrewsbury to Telford Centre from Whittle. 341/342 Market Drayton to Telford Centre

So there have been winners and losers from the changes: • The frequency of the service to Telford has The Council wants to review the current services and doubled to hourly routes and would like to hear people’s views about • The Grove and Sydney Cottage estate areas of subsidised bus services, including how important Bridgnorth have gained a through service to they are to residents. This will help the Council to Shrewsbury consider any changes that could be made to these ◊ Sydney Cottage estate lost its through service to services. It comes following the biggest overhaul to Wolverhampton and, with connections at High bus routes by Arriva in the borough in 10 years. Street of 20 minutes in one direction and 47 minutes in the other, the round trip now takes The consultation will run until October 13 and people over an hour longer are able to give their views online at ◊ From having three buses an hour to the town www.telford.gov.uk/busroutes . Alternatively, they centre, Sydney Cottage estate is now reduced to can get a paper copy of the survey by contacting an hourly service Dominic Proud on 01952 384000. Following the ______consultation, any necessary changes will be made to the routes and services before they go out to tender. Telford & Wrekin Council consult on Changes to routes or any new services will then subsidised bus services begin in Spring 2016 once contracts have been awarded.

______A major consultation has been launched into the future of council-funded bus services in Telford & Wrekin. Over the last five years the council has Council call to Government to give saved nearly £75 million, but that figure needs to community say on bus services changes increase to £110 million over the next three years, in which time subsidised bus services are set to cost Telford & Wrekin Council has urged the Government £1.7 million. The authority spends £564,000 per to give local councils and residents greater say on year subsidising just two per cent of the borough’s any changes that commercially run bus companies routes, as 98 per cent of bus services are operated make to bus services. commercially by Arriva. Now as a contract with Arriva for the council-funded services comes to an The call came as Arriva, the main bus company end, members of the public are urged to give their operating in the borough, was due to impose the

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NEWS & PHOTOS (continued) biggest shake-up of bus services in the Telford area GHA Coaches come to Shrewsbury (some of which operate into Shropshire) for more than 10 years. Coming into effect on July 19, these To coincide with the takeover from Arriva of service changes significantly affect many bus services which 436 Bridgnorth to Shrewsbury, GHA Coaches based provide a vital lifeline for communities in the in Ruabon have set up an outstation in Shrewsbury. borough, where many people rely on public This has enabled them to keep the buses for the new transport to access work, education, health and service locally and avoid a long journey from their leisure. base. The outstation is fairly basic, consisting of an open yard and a demountable office, so presumably the vehicles will have to return to Ruabon for maintenance (although it is understood that there are plans to build maintenance facilities on site).

The Council says Arriva held no public consultation before giving the Traffic Commissioner the required ______56 days notice of its intention, which it did in May. The Council is now calling on its two local MPs to Bendy Buses in Shrewsbury join in lobbying Government to change the current system to force operators like Arriva to consult local Three bendy buses were used by Arriva on people and partners such as councils before it can Shrewsbury’s Park & Ride service on both days of the propose any such changes. Flower Show to cater for the large increase in passenger numbers. Their capacity is 149 (49 seated The Council said: “The changes that Arriva want to with 100 standing). The two green ones were make from 19 July will effectively leave many of our allocated to with the red one on poorest and most needy communities stranded . without public transport. The current set up leaves councils and local communities virtually powerless to challenge private operators. That cannot be right and runs completely against the idea of localism – it must change and more power must be put in the hands of local people. As a minimum we ask that Arriva extend their consultation so that they can listen to local views.”

John Thompson, chairman of Telford & Wrekin Bus Users group, added: “Arriva must first consult with local people before bulldozing through these changes regardless of local views that we believe will be very harmful to all of the people who rely on public transport.” ______

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NEWS & PHOTOS (continued) Bus stop information Powys consulted on two options for cutting services designed to achieve the savings, but following the BUS has issued a press release letting people know results of the consultation they have now decided to that we are looking for their help to collect adopt a third option which doesn’t impact on any evidence of the poor state of bus information at services into Shropshire. So the 74 (- Four many bus stops in the county. It appeared in the Crosses - Shrewsbury) service, which would have Shropshire Star on 31 August—see page 7. Has been lost under options 1 and 2, survives. anybody seen an article in any other newspaper? Powys and Shropshire Councils met Shrewsbury 6th Here are two examples our members have found. Form College and to see if they could pay for or contribute towards the re- instatement of the peak hours journeys on the 74 on school days (they still run on Saturdays & school holidays) . Unfortunately that has not been possible and Alberbury and Eyton still only have a peak time service to Shrewsbury during school holidays

Stop at Sydney Cottage A misleading stop in Drive in Bridgnorth on Ludlow. Despite the 28 August, five weeks timetables, no buses stop after services shown here. were replaced by new route 436. ______

______Bus cuts saved along Welsh border Challenges for socially necessary buses Powys County Council are planning cuts to bus services from November 2015 as a result of a Costs of replacing local bus contracts have fallen for decision to reduce their public transport budget by the 6th consecutive year according to the results of £0.5m in 2015/16. Some of the cuts were expected the Association of Transport Co-Ordinating Officers to affect cross boundary services which serve places 2014 Price Expenditure and Competition Survey. The in Shropshire. They carried out a consultation seventeenth annual survey, shows that the cost of process about the bus service cuts earlier in the replacing local bus contracts fell by an average of summer and have now announced the results. 2.9% in the past 12 months.

ATCO Performance Group Chair John Carr said: “At first glance there may appear to be good news. However, the reality is that continuing swingeing cuts in local authority funding decreed by the Government - apparently without detailed analysis of the impact on the public - mean that authorities just cannot afford to support all the services for which there are real social needs.” ______

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Service Changes

19 July 2015

88 Much Wenlock to Telford Town Centre. Diverted via Madeley instead of Coalbrookdale, Horsehay and Dawley, and renumbered 18. Change to times but 2-hourly frequency retained. The first journey from Telford is withdrawn on Mondays to Fridays, but there is a later journey from Much Wenlock on Saturdays.

99 Bridgnorth to Telford Town Centre. Diverted via Coalbrookdale, Horsehay and Dawley instead of Madeley and renumbered 9. Frequency increased from 2-hourly to hourly, and extended to start from Wolverhampton via 890 route. The times from Bridgnorth are generally 20 minutes earlier, and the times of journeys in both direction are changed late afternoon and early evening.

101 Bridgnorth Town Service. Now provided by a revised Shrewsbury to Bridgnorth service (route 436) and operated by GHA Coaches instead of Arriva. Every 30 minutes at 26 and 56 minutes past the hour from Sydney Cottage Estate and 13 and 43 minutes past the hour from The Grove. Some changes to route including diversion via Aldi.

436 Shrewsbury to Bridgnorth. Operated by GHA Coaches instead of Arriva following tendering by Shropshire Council, and combined with Bridgnorth town service (route 101). Hourly frequency retained with departures at 35 minutes past the hour from Shrewsbury, returning from Bridgnorth Sainsburys at 23 minutes past the hour. Earlier journeys from Shrewsbury and later ones from Bridgnorth added.

890 Bridgnorth to Wolverhampton. Extended to start from Telford Town Centre via the 99 route, and no longer serves Sydney Cottage Drive in Bridgnorth. Hourly frequency retained, no change to times and renumbered 9.

891/892 Telford Town Centre to Wolverhampton. No longer serves Tong and journeys terminating at Shifnal diverted via Stone Drive. Frequency retained but most journeys run 10 minutes earlier; 891 renumbered 8 and 892 is now 8A.

22 July 2015

75 Wrenbury to Market Drayton. This Wednesday service now starts from Nantwich and no longer serves Wrenbury.

79 Audlem to Hanley. This Friday service now starts from Nantwich and operates via Audlem, Woore, Bridgemere Garden World, back to Woore and then to Hanley as before.

14 August 2015

436 Shrewsbury to Bridgnorth. Last journey from Shrewsbury changed to 1750 instead of 1735 and last journey from Bridgnorth now 1928 instead of 1913. Also 1843 from Bridgnorth The Grove to Sydney Cottage Estate is now 1858, and 1856 from Sydney Cottage Estate to The Grove is now 1911.

1 September 2015

2L Ludlow to Kidderminster. The number of journeys is reduced from 10 to 9 each way and there are changes to the times of some of them.

96 Shrewsbury to Telford Town Centre. The journeys at 1030, 1230 and 1430 from Shrewsbury now run 5- 10 minutes later.

141 Ludlow to Bridgnorth. This schoolday only service provided by R & B Travel is withdrawn.

Continued overleaf 14

Service Changes (continued) 436 Shrewsbury to Bridgnorth. Apart from the first three, journeys from Shrewsbury omit The Hookfield and Innage Lane in Bridgnorth, serving Victoria Road, Salop Street and Old Smithfield instead. Short journeys within Bridgnorth no longer serve Sydney Cottage Estate, reducing the service to this area from every 30 minutes to hourly.

7 September 2015

53 Oswestry to Ellesmere. Some early morning journeys changed to run 5-10 minutes earlier, and the times of the 1535 from Ellesmere are revised.

70 Oswestry to Shrewsbury. The 0732 from Oswestry will now extend to Shrewsbury College during college terms.

12 September 2015

490 Leominster to Ludlow. The Monday to Friday journeys at 0945 & 1215 from Leominster and 1020 & 1250 from Ludlow will now operate on Saturdays as well. ______

Bus Users UK

New Director of for Bus Users UK

Bus Users has appointed Dawn Badminton-Capps to head up its work in England. The move follows a reorganisation that will see the group bring the structure of its England operations line with those of Wales and Scotland. Dawn officially took up the role of Bus Users’ Director of England on 13 July. She will be responsible for leading the England team and developing the work of Bus Users across the UK. Claire Walters, Chief Executive of Bus Users, is looking forward to the appointment: “Dawn has extensive experience of the public and NGO sectors with particular strengths in community and stakeholder engagement and project management, skills we were specifically looking for with this role. Dawn will be leading the team in England and working closely with Bus User groups throughout the country to raise the profile of bus travel and improve the standard of bus services for everyone.” While Dawn began her career as a science teacher, she has worked with a number of organisations including Building Futures East and Norwich City Council before eventually becoming Volunteer Delivery Manager with Home Group. Dawn said: “I’m really excited about taking on this new role with Bus Users and look forward to supporting passengers to ensure they get the very best service possible.” ______

Moquette fabric tops passenger preference survey

Bus Users UK has just conducted a major industry survey on behalf of the textile specialist for bus and coach interiors, Camira Transport Fabrics. The survey was designed to solicit direct feedback from the UK travelling public about their opinions regarding the fabric and upholstery finishes on the seats of the buses they travel on. Over 600 passengers in six different UK regions were questioned about their material preference among moquette, leather, flat-cloth and PVC, as well as being asked to indicate the material characteristics they judged most important. The outright favourite among passengers was moquette fabric, preferred by 45% of respondents, ranking highest for its comfort, appearance and non-slip properties.

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Bus Users UK (continued)

Camira was keen to understand passenger tastes and material trends in a bid to inform future product development strategies, commissioning Bus Users to conduct primary research in a mix of rural and urban areas, covering broad ranging demographics and different bus operators using different types of upholstery. Surveyors were provided with a material swatch containing numbered samples in identical plain designs and colourways, then a short questionnaire was used to survey passengers at bus stations, bus stops and on buses. Surveys were undertaken in Edinburgh, Cambridge, Leeds, Nottingham, Middlesbrough, and Blackburn and Burnley.

Camira Group Director of Marketing Ian Burn commented: “The survey has given us extremely valuable information not just about the specific material preferences, but about what’s important to customers. Moquette continues to hold its own, but leather is gaining in popularity, while flat-cloth was almost the default fabric choice for those who didn’t like either moquette or leather. The great thing is that Camira can cover all material options from a single source of supply.” Claire Walters, Chief Executive of Bus Users added: “In addition to voicing their opinions about material choices, passengers made it clear that they want to be able to travel on comfortable, clean buses. In that respect the survey sent a clear message to operators.” ______

What is BUS? Bus Users Shropshire is an action group of volunteers formed in 2011 as a response to big cuts in bus services. We are part of Bus Users UK. We don’t support any political party but we do want politicians locally and nationally to take an interest in buses. We are governed by a constitution and managed by an elected committee who implement our plans and report to meetings of all members where we share ideas and news.

What BUS does • We campaign for improvements to services and proper funding and development • We talk regularly to Shropshire Council who recognise us as a representative body of bus passengers • We give feedback and ideas for improvement to bus operators as a ‘critical friend’

What you can do Bus services are still under threat. If you are not already part of BUS share your experiences as a bus user with us. A big membership also gives influence. • Become a Supporter . This costs you nothing. • Become a Member . Have your say. Get active! Modest subscription payable .

Contact details Bus Users Shropshire, c/o Shrewsbury Coffeehouse, 5 Castle Gates, Shrewsbury SY1 2AE Email: [email protected] Telephone/text: 07580 564458 Website: www.bususers.org/your-local-group/bus-users-shropshire

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