Park and ride scheme needs improving - councillor
BBCI will start with a disclaimer: I had never used Shrewsbury's park and ride before yesterday.
I often drive into town for short meetings that only last an hour or two, which is why I have never considered the park and ride as a convenient mode of transport before.
However, on Wednesday the BBC was invited to use the park and ride on a trip from Oxon, one of the towns three park and ride sites, to The Guildhall, which took around 10 minutes.
Just last month, all three of the schemes - Oxon, Harlescott and Meole Brace - had their number of bus services increased at peak times, from three an hour to five, in the hope of boosting passenger numbers.
About 36,000 people used Shrewsbury's park and ride scheme each month in 2024 – a 17% increase on the previous 12 months. However, it is not enough to make it commercially viable, and passenger numbers remain much lower than before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Last year, Shropshire Council spent £248,000 propping up the service, which is privately run by transport firm Arriva. This isn't a surprise as almost every bus service operated within the council area is subsidised to some extent, often using money from government transport grants.
Nevertheless, the passengers that I spoke to on the bus were happy with the service, which costs £2 for a return fare, and £1 for concessionary pass holders, including pensioners and the disabled.
A couple from Aberystwyth described it as "cheap and easy" and "much easier than parking in town".
But the council wants to improve the overall experience at Oxon, Harlescott and Meole Brace by investing in new bus shelters and signage.
The Oxon bus shelter looked in desperate need of refurbishment. The only real time information screen had been smashed and not replaced. That's problematic in a town where traffic congestion can easily hold up buses to and from the town centre.
The bus stop is also used for the new hospital park and ride service, where health staff can travel to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for free and patients and visitors can ride for £1.
The new Liberal Democrat councillor in charge of transport and economic growth, Rob Wilson, said the council was committed to improving the site.
"It hasn't been loved for a long time," he said.
"I think park and ride is essential for Shrewsbury but we need to get more people to use it.
"So we're looking at ways to improve those sites because they need some love and they need to be improved," he added.
Cllr Wilson wants to see park and ride developed further, with long-term plans to fully incorporate the service into its wider transport plan.
This may include assessing whether park and ride sites need to be relocated elsewhere, and also introducing "cross town park and rides" so services link up with the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
However, large scale, long-term plans will only be possible if the council can secure the government funding to pay for it.
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