Call for Ludlow car parking fees to support buses

The idea would see up to £600,000 ploughed into providing more Park and Ride buses and repairing shelters in Ludlow every year.

It was suggested by bus users at a recent public meeting looking at transport issues affecting the town and comes in the wake of Shropshire Council being forced to step in to provide subsidised bus services in the town last week.

Now Councillor Viv Parry, who represents Ludlow South on Shropshire Council, wants to see money raised through parking charges used to help pay for buses. No-one from Shropshire Council was available to comment on the idea.

Figures revealed in the Shropshire Star last year showed that car parking charges and fines netted the local authority £600,000 in Ludlow alone from April 2012 to March 2013.

Last month R & B Transport pulled out of running park and ride services in Ludlow because bosses of the firm claimed it was not financially viable. It came after months of complaints that buses in the town arrived late or not at all, or were full and drove past.

The service is currently being provided on behalf of the council by Minsterley Motors, with the help of a cash subsidy which R & B never received.

And campaigners say that cash support must continue if the service is to not suffer.

Councillor Parry said: "Shropshire Council takes £600,000 from parking and fines in Ludlow.

"Around £200,000 goes to pay for maintenance and enforcement. We don't get the benefit of the other £400,000 raised.

"It all goes to Shrewsbury."

Church Stretton town councillor Bob Welch, who chaired last week's meeting on the future of the bus service in Ludlow, said: "The numbers who attended show the concern, passion and need that Ludlow residents have for their buses."

He said: "There was overwhelming agreement that income from car parking charges in Ludlow should be set aside to pay for local and park and ride bus services."