Shropshire Star

New drive for Newport to Shrewsbury bus route

A bus service linking two of Shropshire's historic market towns will be the focus of a new campaign.

Published

Arriva Bus and Bus Users Shropshire (BUS) are keen to get more people to use the 519 service between Shrewsbury and Newport, which covers plenty of Shropshire's picturesque countryside.

BUS is an action group that meets with Shropshire Council as a representative of bus users in the county.

Chairman Harold Bound said: "People value this local service and we support this community approach wholeheartedly. At the same time, buses have greater potential to encourage trips to our High Streets without the hassle of parking.

"Newport is a lovely place to visit, and equally people might decide to travel into Shrewsbury for the day. We’ll be encouraging walking groups to use the bus to start walks from the villages too.”

Attractive

The 519 service, which runs six days a week, has been chosen for a marketing trial because it links two attractive towns.

But just a few months ago, cuts meant the service reduced.

Ercall Magna, Waters Upton, Edgmond and Tibberton parish councils have sourced the money needed to cover the costs of running the 519 service on Saturdays after local communities campaigned following its withdrawal in September.

The councils and Newport Regeneration Partnership have pledged to fun the service for at least 12 months.

As part of the campaign Arriva Bus has rolled out more posters and timetable leaflets.

Jamie Crowsley, general manager for Arriva Bus Shropshire, said: “This is the second small scale marketing project we have undertaken with BUS and we are especially keen to encourage people on board the 519 bus.

"There are plenty of opportunities to travel to Newport, onward to Telford and Ironbridge on our buses and value for money day ticket makes it easy."

The project starts this week and will run for six months.