Watch: Councillor Rob Wilson explains the improvements and other changes
A new Ellesmere to Wem bus service and evening park and ride buses in Shrewsbury are amongst a number of improvements to be introduced later this year, following a review of 21 local bus services supported by Shropshire Council.
In addition the 64 Market Drayton to Shrewsbury service will be protected – using council funding.
Other services that will be retained include: the 437 Broseley-Much-Wenlock- Shrewsbury; 501 Ellesmere to Shrewsbury; 553 Bishop’s Castle to Plox Green (and on to Shrewsbury); 558 Montgomery to Shrewsbury; the 301 Market Drayton town service; and the 701 (Ludlow North) and 702 (Ludlow South).
In Shrewsbury the 20 (Radbrook Green), 23 (Preston Street/Belvidere) and 26 (Meole Village) services will also continue to operate.
The review – carried out as part of the council’s 2026 bus retendering programme – will see new bus services, new more accessible buses, and improved timetables. A number of services will have a new operator and some will stop.
The review has considered the number of passengers using each service – and the cost per passenger journey – and is taking place in the context of reduced Government revenue funding for local bus services, alongside increasing operating costs across the transport sector. Shropshire Council would have to find an additional £1.25 million to continue providing the services as they are now.
The programme includes the 21 services whose five-year contract runs out this year and that are therefore up for review and retender.
The changes to be introduced later this year include:
Shrewsbury Park & Ride: From 1 November 2026 the three sites will be consolidated into two – Oxon and Harlescott – and the Meole Brace service will be suspended. The operating hours of the Oxon and Harlescott park and ride services will be extended to 10pm, Monday to Saturday.
Wem/Ellesmere: Replace the existing limited town services with a single combined service running six days a week between the two towns, that will provide access to the railway station and other essential services in Wem. Service to start on 1 September 2026
Ludlow town network: Withdraw the very low‑use Park & Ride on 1 September 2026 and focus resources on town centre services, with the introduction of new accessible buses.
Shrewsbury town network: Withdraw very low‑use services from 1 September 2026 and retain/improve core links where they provide the greatest benefit.
Inter-urban corridors: Protect key services operating between market towns.
For more details about the changes see Bus service review 2026 details
Rob Wilson, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for transport and regeneration, said:
“Bus services are vitally important to many people across the county and despite the financial challenges we will be protecting key routes and services, improving local connections and making a number of other improvements.
“We’re having to deal with increasing costs alongside reduced funding, which means we have to work harder to deliver the best possible transport network with the resources available, and this has left with some difficult choices.
”But despite these challenges we will be retaining many important services, and making a number of improvements.”
New bus shelters will electronic real-time information will be installed at Oswestry and Market Drayton bus stations in July 2026, and at the Oxon and Harlescott park and ride sites in Shrewsbury in August 2026.
