Nine council-funded bus services, from Oswestry's town routes to the Knighton-Ludlow 738/740, face retender in 2027. The survey on them closes 11 December.

Shropshire Council is asking people what they think of nine bus services it pays to keep running. Their contracts run out in 2027, and the council will then invite operators to bid for them again.

The survey opened on 16 October and closes on Friday 11 December. The council stresses that no decisions have been made about changes to any of the routes.

Six of the nine are in or around Oswestry. The others serve Ludlow, Whitchurch and one Shrewsbury estate.

The services in the survey

The council’s newsroom release of 22 October lists them. The operator column is from the timetables the council links from its survey page.

Service Route Timetable published by
400, 402, 403, 404 Oswestry town services Tanat Valley Coaches
405 Oswestry school service, term time only Tanat Valley Coaches
406 Oswestry town service not linked
54 Cefn-y-Blodwel to Oswestry not linked
71 Four Crosses to Oswestry not linked
576 Oswestry, Baschurch and Shrewsbury Tanat Valley Coaches
738, 740 Knighton to Ludlow Minsterley Motors
205 Whitchurch town service Lakeside Coaches
21 Shrewsbury bus station to Reabrook Lakeside Coaches

What these buses do now

The timetables linked from the survey page give a sense of how much each route carries. Some are dated 2024 or 2025, so check with the operator before you travel.

  • 21, Shrewsbury to Reabrook: Monday to Saturday, 13 round trips on weekdays, half-hourly at the start and end of the day and hourly in between
  • 576, Oswestry to Shrewsbury: weekdays and Saturdays, through Knockin, Kinnerley, Ruyton-XI-Towns, Baschurch and Bomere Heath
  • 738 and 740, Knighton to Ludlow: Monday to Saturday, four buses each way, via Bucknell, Leintwardine and Bromfield
  • 402, Oswestry: a town circular about every half hour from 9.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Saturday
  • 405, Oswestry: one morning and one afternoon run, schooldays only

Why the council supports them

The council’s survey page says these routes need its money “because they wouldn’t otherwise be commercially viable for operators to run”. When a contract ends, it writes a specification covering the route, timetable, days and vehicles. Operators then bid, and the council picks one.

Rob Wilson, the Cabinet member for transport and regeneration, said the services were “a lifeline for many people across Shropshire, particularly in our rural communities”. He added: “We know that budgets remain under pressure and that we must make the best possible use of the funding available.”

The council says the answers will be weighed alongside passenger numbers, running costs and the money it has available.

What it means for you

If you use any of these buses, this is the point where your view can shape the next contract, before the tender documents are written. The survey asks:

  • how often you use each service
  • what you value about it
  • what stops you travelling
  • what you would like changed

You can also take part if you do not use the bus now but would like to.

Ways to respond, all by Friday 11 December:

  • online, through the council’s survey page
  • by email to TellUs@shropshire.gov.uk
  • by post to Feedback and Insight Team, Shropshire Council, PO Box 4826, Shrewsbury, SY1 9LJ
  • by phone on 0345 678 9000 to ask for a paper or accessible copy

This survey is separate from the council’s wider Local Transport Plan consultation, which covers bus gates and the county’s long-term transport strategy.