Hundreds sign petition to stop bus cutbacks in Bridgnorth

As part of the cuts, the Bridgnorth to Kidderminster Saturday service will be scrapped, as will the Saturday Telford to Bridgnorth service and the Broseley to Bridgnorth Monday to Saturday evening service.

David Harvey, 72, of Alveley, uses the Kidderminster to Bridgnorth service every week and has handed in a petition signed by more than 500 people to Shropshire Council in a bid to stop services to the town from being withdrawn.

"We're doing it to express our disgust at Shropshire Council plans to stop our bus services," he said.

"I don't think they realise just how many people really use the services. The Kidderminster service is packed every single week. People go to Bridgnorth to shop and the town relies on tourists, at least I thought it did – it seems Shropshire Council seem to think otherwise.

"There are also seven or eight caravan parks full of people that rely on the buses to get into town. Not only do they spend money in shops but they'll also be left without an important service.

"On a bank holiday like we've just had, we won't have a bus service for four days."

Shropshire Council has also planned for the Bridgnorth town service that runs from Monday to Saturday to run every hour rather than every 30 minutes and the Monday to Saturday Shrewsbury to Bridgnorth service to run every two hours instead of every hour.

At a Bridgnorth Town Council meeting last week, the council curated a response to the consultation, which runs until May 6, which states the Shrewsbury to Bridgnorth service is the only viable public transport route between Bridgnorth and Shrewsbury

The council added: "The service also enables the rail network to be accessed at Shrewsbury. As currently timetabled it can support access to employment and education in Shrewsbury from Bridgnorth and Much Wenlock. We would not wish to see this service altered."

Speaking at a public meeting in Shrewsbury last week, leader of Shropshire Council, Councillor Peter Nutting, said 90 per cent of the 260 replies that had been received so far relate to the Shrewsbury to Bridgnorth and Shrewsbury to Bishop's Castle route.

"It's costing us a fortune to subsidize the bus route between Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth," he added.

"It's costing us thousands every week and that has to change. Arriva think they're the big boys and can bully us into things. I'm interested in getting smaller bus companies involved as I think it can be very beneficial."