Use it or lose it warning from Councillor
Villagers in Telford have been urged to use their local bus or lose it by a parish councillor who is passionate about public transport.
Councillor Nick Eyles, who chairs Tibberton & Cherrington Parish Council and is a regular on the 103 service into Wellington, admits being concerned when he sees buses with few or no passengers.
The Travel Telford route which links Newport and Wellington recently received a major boost from Telford & Wrekin Council which secured a Saturday service and more regular buses.
A meeting of Tibberton & Cherrington Parish Council heard that the borough has responded quickly to passenger concerns.
Councillor Eyles is hopeful that a 5pm service can be added to the route for youngsters who attend after-school events in Newport.
“It is a lifeline for people,” said Councillor Eyles at a meeting on Monday (September 22) where he launched a passionate plea for more passengers to board the bus.
“But it is not going to survive on two or three people per journey,” he said.
The councillor added that the service is good for people going into Newport or taking a “scenic” trip to Wellington.
“You see parts of Telford and Wrekin you never knew existed,” he added.
“It’s a valuable service and I don’t want to see it cut again,” said Councillor Eyles referring to a village campaign to keep the local bus service a few years ago.
He added: “Nobody is using it on the new estate, so I’m trying my best to promote it.”
Tibberton and Cherrington used to have a bus service connection to Shrewsbury but he reported to the meeting that “there is no chance of getting a bus there”.
This summer Telford & Wrekin Council announced a series of upgrades for the 102 and 103 rural bus services in the north of the borough, with fares capped at £2 per single journey.
The council is one of the few in the country directly operating buses.
It says improvements are expected to boost passenger numbers, with the council aiming to reach 750,000 rides by the end of 2025 and 1 million during 2026.
Six council-operated routes include the 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, and 104.
