Shropshire Council says 'difficult decisions' ahead after government announcement on public transport
Shropshire Council says it will have to "do more with less" after the government announced its local transport funding plans for the next three years.
Councils in Shropshire are set to receive around £3m of "additional resource funding" via the Local Transport Grant, which the government says will be spent on improving public transport, as well as road schemes that "boost growth" and matter most to their communities.
Under the scheme, Shropshire Council will receive around £1.6m in resource funding, while Telford & Wrekin will receive £1.3m, set to be spent over the next three years.
But Rob Wilson, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for transport and economic growth, said the government was "giving with one hand and taking with the other" with the consolidated grant, and accused the government of going back on its promises to rural counties on funding for public transport services.
"Time and again the Government has underfunded transport in Shropshire. This funding allocation is identical to that announced in June, and represents a real terms cut in overall transport funding. It means that without further support, we are going to have to do more with less," he said.
