Retendering Bus Services in 2027

Local bus services play an important role in connecting communities across Shropshire. They help people access work, education, healthcare, shopping, leisure and social opportunities.

Shropshire Council is asking for your views on local bus services we currently support that are due to be retendered in 2027.

Which services are included in the survey?
  • Oswestry Town Services (400, 402, 403, 404)
  • Oswestry School Service - 405
  • Oswestry Town Service - 406
  • Knighton - Ludlow - 738, 740
  • Oswestry - Baschurch - Shrewsbury - 576 
  • Shrewsbury Town Service (Shrewsbury Bus Station - Reabrook) - 21
  • Whitchurch Town Service - 205
  • Four Crosses - Oswestry - 71
  • Cefn-Y-Blodwel to Oswestry - 54

What does it mean to retender bus services?

Many local bus services in Shropshire are supported (subsidised) by Shropshire Council, needing financial support because they wouldn't otherwise be commercially viable for operators to run.

When a contract for one of these services is due to end, we retender it. This means we set out the service we want to secure (which may include details such as the route, timetable, days of operation and vehicle requirements) and bus operators then have the opportunity to submit their interest to us, detailing how they would run the service and how much it would cost. Operators may suggest improvements or efficiencies, but we set the overall requirements of the contract.

We then review the submissions and select an operator to run the service for the next contract period.

Why are we asking for your views now?

We want to understand what people value about these services, what they feel is not working well, and what improvements or changes people would like us to consider.

Your feedback will help shape the information provided to bus operators as part of the upcoming tender process. This will help make sure the views of people who use, rely on, or would like to use these services are considered from the outset.

This survey is about listening, gathering evidence and understanding local needs before we prepare tender documents for operators. No decisions have been made about potential changes to these services at this stage.

Who we'd like to hear from

We'd like to hear from current passengers, occasional users, people who may want to use the bus in future, and anyone with an interest in local transport in their community.

How your feedback will be used

Responses will be reviewed, alongside other evidence, including passenger use, service costs, available funding, operational requirements and wider transport priorities.

Your feedback will help us understand local priorities and prepare tender documents that are better informed by the people and communities the services are intended to support.

How to complete the survey

Giving your feedback is easy, complete the online survey.

If you’d like the survey in an alternative format, please use the email below to request a copy, or call our customer services team on 0345 678 9000 and explain any support you need to allow you to respond. 

You can also respond with any comments in writing: 

You may also wish to provide feedback to Shropshire Council through the use of complaints, compliments and comments. Find out more on the Shropshire Council website.

Find out more about public transport in Shropshire.

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Resident self-funder survey

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We want to hear from you if you are a self-funder, a family carer of someone who pays for their own care or support, or if you are completing this survey on behalf of someone who does.

  • Adult social care
  • Everyone