During a recent Scrutiny Committee meeting at the Guildhall, a review of the Bus Quality Partnership between SABC, SCC and Arriva was discussed. Several members expressed serious concerns about the quality of bus services across the Borough and a special group has been set up to review a range of issues relating to bus services. The group have observed that Shrewsbury is changing and developing and that the present bus service has not reacted to these changes.
The review group includes SABC Councillors Dr Maxwell Winchester, Keith Roberts, Stephen Williams, Chris Freestone and Joyce Allaway. These Councillors have received complaints from bus users who are dissatisfied with the age of buses, their availability, the inappropriateness of routes, prices and frequency of service.
The group have set the following terms of reference for reviewing aspects of bus usage in the borough:
1. Bus Station
- The group will investigate the Bus station, décor, toilets, facilities for disabled users and anti social activities within the bus station.
2. Provision of town Bus Service routes
- The group will investigate the frequency of time-tabled services, appropriateness of routes, pricing and fare staging.
3. Provision of bus service quality
- The group will investigate the quality of buses allocated to Shrewsbury, cleanliness and staffing.
4. Bus Quality Partnership
- The group will investigate the bus quality partnership and make recommendation for it to be extended, enhanced or terminated.
The group will investigate the bus quality partnership and make recommendation for it to be extended, enhanced or terminated.
The group has already met at the Shrewsbury bus station. During this meeting, a disabled member of the public, Jill Berry attended to demonstrate the difficulties in boarding buses, even those with apparent disabled access.
Councillor for Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council’s Bagley Ward, Dr. Maxwell Winchester, Chairs the review group.
Councillor Dr. Winchester says: “I am a regular user of the 519 service to Newport and travel 32 miles return on Arriva buses to get to work. My personal experiences do not give me much confidence in the sort of bus service other members of the public are receiving. I am extremely concerned about the way in which the partnership is operating. It seems to me that we have a quality bus partnership on the routes nominated, and a poor quality bus partnership on the remaining routes for the town. We are particularly interested in hearing the views of bus users.”
Bus users are requested to put their concerns in writing directly to: Cllr Dr Maxwell Winchester, Chair of Bus Review Group, SABC, Guildhall, Shrewsbury, SY3 8HQ
or via email Maxwell.winchester@shrewsbury.gov.uk.
“What we are looking for is long-term rather than single event problems bus users are having with the current system”.
Keith Roberts, Borough Councillor for Copthorne Ward has also expressed concern. He comments: “I am particularly concerned about the age of some of the buses and the fumes that come from their engines as they travel around the town centre and surrounding areas. I am also concerned about the lack of disabled access on a number of routes but particularly the service to the Royal Shrewsbury hospital.”
Christine Freestone, Borough Councillor for Underdale Ward comments: “My concerns about buses are lack of disabled friendly buses, the high cost of fares and that some of the routes seem to go where Arriva want, not where the bus users need them”.
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