A heavily criticised bus service has agreed to put on extra journeys following complaints from local residents.
Last year many bus routes serving the Market Drayton area were scrapped and replaced with ShropshireLink’s Book a Bus Service.
The new system scrapped the traditional bus route and replaced it with a service which runs by appointment only.
Hinstock residents were particularly hard hit with a bus from the village to Market Drayton only available twice a week.
Now however, following a series of complaints, a bus will run from the village on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
Sue Beeston, Hinstock parish councillor, said: “The buses were only running twice a week and people living in Hinstock could not get to Market Drayton on market day. The whole system was very confusing. It was run by appointment only and people were confused as to when and how they could use it.
“People would stand waiting for the bus but be told they couldn’t get on because they hadn’t booked their place. It has been very inconvenient for people to get around.
“It is good news that it looks like we are going to get two extra services through the village as long as people know when they are and who to contact to book their place.”
Shropshire Council’s senior public transport officer, Matt Johnson, defended the scheme and confirmed there would be two new routes.
Matt said: “Shropshire Council is currently undertaking a review of the service as part of the planned six month review. Areas where improvements could be made identified through local consultation include the availability of the service between Market Drayton and Whitchurch.
“ShropshireLink meets the council’s target of providing public transport access to a market town for all rural households on a minimum of two days per week. From launch, this has been the case in Market Drayton, although it has emerged that users would like a wider range of available days for travel. In order to meet these requests, Shropshire Council is now working with the operator to double availability in this particular area to four days a week.
“All such changes are required to be made within the legal framework of registration under which ShropshireLink operates. As such there will be a minimum notice period of 56 days before such changes take effect.”
For more information or to book the service call 0845 6789068.
By Joseph Masi
