Shropshire Star

Shropshire bus services hit as GHA Coaches in administration

A coach company under fire for the quality of its service has gone into administration with immediate effect. Other bus companies have been drafted in to keep some of the services going.

Published

GHA Coaches was not operating any of its school or public transport routes in Shropshire today, but Shropshire Council has arranged for some of the services to be covered by other companies.

In total 11 routes – six public transport and five school contracts – are affected.

Council officials spent last night looking to find alternative arrangements as soon as possible, and working to make sure the school routes could be covered today.

No-one from GHA Coaches was available to comment.

Routes which have been covered today:

Today Arriva was taking over the following routes:

  • 436 Bridgnorth to Shrewsbury

  • 576 Oswestry to Shrewsbury

  • 96 Telford to Shrewsbury

  • 511 Whitchurch to Shrewsbury

The Kinton to Corbet School, Baschurch, service was being run by Lakeside Coaches

The Cound to William Brookes School, Much Wenlock, service was being run by Caradoc Coaches

Routes not operating today:

Three services to Severnside School – a specialist school in Shrewsbury – have been affected and parents of children who use the routes were being informed last night. They are the buses to the school from Harlescott and Castlefields, Coton Hill and Whitchurch.

The 501 Ellesmere to Shrewsbury service operated commercially by GHA, the 101 Bridgnorth Town service and the 205 Whitchurch Town service will also not be operating today. Shropshire Council says it is working on solutions.

Last night Councillor Simon Jones, Shropshire Council's cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "Shropshire Council has been informed that GHA Coaches has entered into administration with immediate effect. This means that all school and public transport routes operated by the company will not operate on Thursday.

"The council will now look at potential alternative arrangements for these services as soon as possible."

On Tuesday bosses at the company had vowed to improve their service to people in the county in the wake of several complaints from dissatisfied custommers over buses running late or not showing up at all.

Updates on the situation will be posted at shropshire.gov.uk/news

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