A private coach company is to axe all its regular bus services in the Bishops Castle area, leaving many elderly people and those without Cars stranded in south-west Shropshire.
Horrocks Coach Travel based in Lydbury North have told Shropshire Council that from July 22 the following bus services will stop the 773 to Newtown via Clun and Newcastle, which runs on a Tuesday only; the 860 via Much Wenlock to Wellington, on Wednesdays, and the 745 via Clun to Ludlow on Monday, Thursday and Fridays.
The services are not supported by the Shropshire Council, and Horrocks Says the decision to cut them was based on lack of users, making them unviable. A request to the council for subsidies was turned down.
Owner Andy Horrocks said: This is very unfortunate but these routes were not viable without a subsidy.
The council thinks it will pick up passenger numbers for the Shropshire Link, but from our observations mainly elderly people just wont use it.
The council puts a lot of time and effort into the Link and they want it to work.
Councillor Peter Phillips said: We are looking at an extremely thin Level of service remaining for Bishops Castle and even less for other small towns .
And Clun councillor Nigel Hartin said the withdrawal of services was a great blow to the community.
He added: My impression is that many potential travellers, especially older ones find the thought of arranging a place on the Link service a bit daunting.
In a letter copied to the Journal, Jon Hayes, the councils principal transport officer told Bishops Castle councillor Peter Phillips that Shropshire Council is not in a position to subsidise direct replacements for the services that Horrocks Coach Travel currently provides.
However, I am pleased to confirm that ShropshireLink is available to residents for travel in this area, added Mr Hays.
ShropshireLink currently provides a service on a minimum of two days a week in the areas affected enabling residents to access their nearest market towns.
He added that Shropshire Link was a demand-responsive service.
Passengers must call 0345 6789068 and give 24 hours notice of where they want to get to the bus can take them to Craven Arms to meet with the 435 Ludlow to Shrewsbury service, or into Bishops Castle to link with the 745 Ludlow via Clun service.
