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At-risk park and ride site to stay open - for now

Rob TriggShropshire political reporter
News imageBBC A large, enclosed bus shelter, with sheets of metal at the bottom, with a blue single-decker bus visible behind it. Trees can be seen in the background.BBC
Passenger numbers across Shrewsbury's three park and ride sites increased last year after bus frequency improved from three an hour to five an hour at at peak times

Shropshire Council said it plans to keep the Meole Brace park and ride service in Shrewsbury running beyond November – just months after announcing its closure.

The authority had originally planned to withdraw the service after a reduction in government bus funding compared with previous years, alongside increasing costs for bus operators.

But Shropshire Council's deputy leader, Alex Wagner, said up to £500,000 of increased parking charge revenue would be used to keep the service going while a long-term solution to the town's park and ride provisions could be found.

He said residents had made their feelings "very clear" about the closure, and that council leaders had listened to their concerns.

A petition to keep the service going had been signed by around 5,000 people, while residents had also "filled the inboxes" of many councillors, who welcomed the decision during a meeting of elected members on Thursday.

Conversations with private bus providers will now take place to secure the service beyond 1 November.

News imageA dark-hair man wearing a blue blazer and white shirt, standing in front of a row of parked cars and parking machine. The size of a red-bricked church can be signed in the background.
Alex Wagner said the temporary extension would be welcomed by shoppers and businesses ahead of the festive period

"The revenue that we've found for this can't be spent on things that aren't road or transport matters," Wagner said.

"Whilst this is short-term, we're also using it so we can have a bit of a broader conversation about what the long-term looks like and what the correct solution for a growing west Shrewsbury looks like."

The authority said it is "seriously exploring" closing both the Meole Brace and Oxon park and ride sites and opening a larger facility on council-owned land off Mytton Oak Road in Bowbrook.

Money raised through local developer contributions, known as Community Infrastructure Levy, or CIL, would be used to construct the new location.

When asked if the decision to temporarily continue the Meole Brace park and ride site amounted to a u-turn, Wagner said, "call it what you want".

"From the perspective of a park and ride user or a business in the town, it's pretty good news and that's how most people will take it."

The Labour group on Shropshire Council had submitted a motion ahead of Thursday's meeting of councillors, calling for the decision to be reviewed.

Group leader, Rosemary Dartnall, said: "We are delighted that the council has seen sense.

"In terms of sustainable public transport, traffic congestion, pollution levels, town centre economy and viability, Meole Brace Park and Ride fulfils its role."

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