Revamp to bus services urged
Saturday 23rd August 2008, 11:25AM BST.
Bus services in Shrewsbury could undergo a major revamp which could include night services and more bus lanes being created across the town.
Proposals are detailed in a report to Shrewsbury and Atcham borough councillors following a review of services.
They also recommend security patrols at the bus station and repairs there.
Councillors at a meeting on September 1 will hear recommendations that Shropshire County Council be called on to consider irregular night bus services, as offered in surrounding counties, to ensure no service stops running before 6pm and that future road designs include, where possible, bus lanes.
The report also calls for the new unitary council to make the town within the river loop a no-go area to buses that are not EU4 or EU5 compliant in a bid to address air quality issues.
Councillor Dr Maxwell Winchester, who heads the borough council’s bus review group, said he would be presenting the information to members.
He said: “It is the official presentation of that report and largely there is not much the cabinet have to do because the Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council officers have done as much as they can. Really it is now up to Arriva and the county to do their share.”
A recent document drawn up by the bus review group called for a number of other changes which are also listed in the proposals. These include scrapping or formalising the Bus Quality Partnership, giving the town’s bus station a facelift, ensuring disabled users are better served and avoiding “incidents” between buses.
The Bus Quality Partnership is between SABC, the county council and Arriva.
The bus review group was set up after complaints over services.
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I quote the recent head line from the Shrop Star:
“Town gets cycling boost
Shrewsbury is to be made a cycling demonstration town by the government to encourage people to get on their bikes.”
Apparently there were proposals for cycling lanes in Shreswsbury. Have those now been abandoned for bus lanes?
If not where are all the cars, vans and lorries going to go?
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bus lanes , for filthy polluting poorly driven busses they are most definatly trying to rid shrewsbury of every human apart from park right attendants and there ilk and town residents and there whinging ilk well done to all concerned.
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The sheer cost of bus travel in Shrewsbury is a disincentive to anyone who can choose an alternative. In the 8 years I’ve lived here the cost of a return ticket to the town centre has more than doubled.
Those trying to get *around* the town along the ring road are not catered for, despite the obvious need.
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I agree with both above comments, there trying to turn it into a mini city, how many people get on a bus during the night, i hardly see anyone on the buses after 10pm, whats going to make someone get on a bus at 3am, and the poorly driven buses, one driver couldnt find the brakes at one stop, he thought he had stopped but he hadnt, he started to roll back.cycling lanes will be a lot better and a lot cheaper, its all money run nowadays,night buses NO!
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we need smaller moredemand responsive buses, people carriers in effect, maybe they should stop putting so much money into private companies like arriva, and give it to cabbies instead, i would give up my cars if there was always a half priced cab on stand by gladly
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Why not have a service running when most people leave the pub at about 11.30ish. People would use that intead of a taxi may be.
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We watched a bus run a red light last week in the town centre. Shortly after a police car came through with lights flashing and pulled him over. They should teach the drivers to DRIVE first!
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good on dr max we need clean buses
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I think that the buses should be Euro 6 not just 5 or 4 which involves adding Urea to the exhasut gases to reduce NOx emissions, they should be euro 6 which would require them to have an electric motor ontop of the engine, like the Toyato Prius, this would mean they are ZERO emission in the town, and added benefit of reduced noise and co2 emissions which euro 4/5 standards do not really improve on, certainly though the old P reg arriva buses you see belching out black smoke onto our lovely buidlings should have been banned from town years ago
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a few more bus drivers prosecuted for traffic infringement would assist the “congestion” in Shrewsbury.
I can’t be the only driver who has seen buses block “Yellow Box controlled junctions” particularly the one under the railway bridges. This selfish behaviour is the prime cause of traffic backing up Coton Hill.
Ever seen a cop there to witness it and take action? I haven’t.
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we need more buses in my area, why not have the meole park and ride go from Bayston Hill island instead, there is plenty of room there, then Meole P&R site could be freed up for housing or retail development
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Horses and carts are the answer for shrewsbury
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