MP slams 'crazy' loophole that invalidates bus passes across Shropshire/Wales border
A Shropshire MP has criticised what she describes as a "crazy" loophole that invalidates English bus passes if a journey crosses into Wales.
North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan raised concerns with the Minister for Local Transport, Simon Lightwood, during a Parliamentary debate on Wednesday, September 10.
Mrs Morgan said the "wiggly" border between Shropshire and Wales presents particular challenges for bus users living in the western parts of the county.
She highlighted the example of passengers travelling from Oswestry to Chester who pass through Wrexham, only to find their bus passes are no longer valid once the route enters Wales.
The Liberal Democrat MP revealed that legislation was introduced nearly 20 years ago to address the issue, but that it was never enacted.
"The situation is a nonsense and highlights how successive governments have left rural areas to decline in favour of metropolitan or more urban areas," said Mrs Morgan.
"If people want to get a bus between two destinations in England, but their bus changes in Wales, their bus pass isn’t valid, and I think that’s a bit crazy."
The North Shropshire MP said that the Oswestry-to-Chester service is the only bus route in the entire county operating on Sundays.
Mrs Morgan also pointed to statistics showing that in the last six years Shropshire has lost two thirds (66 per cent) of its bus routes - more than any other area in England - with an average reduction in bus miles of around 20.9 per cent.
She described the impact on her constituents as "difficult", and said that towns such as Market Drayton have "almost become isolated, because their bus service is so poor".
The North Shropshire MP also criticised Government funding allocations for the region, stating that out of the £1 billion fund announced last November for rural and coastal areas, only £2.5 million in revenue funding was earmarked for Shropshire.
