Shropshire Star

Private firm saves bus services

Two axed bus services in Shropshire have been resurrected after a private operator stepped in at the eleventh hour, it emerged today. Two axed bus services in Shropshire have been resurrected after a private operator stepped in at the eleventh hour, it emerged today. The saved services – 773 to Newtown and the 860 Telford service – will be run by M & J Travel in Newcastle near Craven Arms. They are set to resume from September 8. Campaigners, however, are still battling to find a solution for the third route, the 745 from Bishop's Castle, Clun and Ludlow. Read the full story in today's Shropshire Star

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arriva_busTwo axed bus services in Shropshire have been resurrected after a private operator stepped in at the eleventh hour, it emerged today.

The saved services – 773 to Newtown and the 860 Telford service – will be run by M & J Travel in Newcastle near Craven Arms. They are set to resume from September 8.

Campaigners, however, are still battling to find a solution for the third route, the 745 from Bishop's Castle, Clun and Ludlow.

Councillor Nigel Hartin, chairman of the local joint committee for Bishop's Castle and the surrounding area, said: "It will be an alternating weekly service to see whether there is a demand.

"The timetable and route will be unchanged.

"It is quite short notice for it to start but we are not anticipating any problems with that."

Previously, the three routes were commercial services operated by Horrocks bus company which announced at the beginning of July it couldn't make them pay.

The withdrawal of the 860, 773 and 745 routes meant there were no bus service from Bishop's Castle to Wellington and no service from Bishop's Castle and Clun to Newtown or Ludlow.

Jane Price, owner of M & J Travel, said: "It is still early days. We are currently in negotiation with Shropshire Council."

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