As has been well publicised, a truck crashed into the Three Fishes pub at 5.30am on Monday morning. This severely damaged the pub and partly demolished the house next to the Hong Kong City takeaway. Fortunately, the only injury was to the lorry driver who suffered a broken leg. After the initial road closure, the A49, which is part of the Primary Route Network, was reduced to a single lane with lights control.
This lane closure is delaying traffic and causing significant disruption to the 435 Ludlow Shrewsbury bus service. Delays to the service are at least 30 minutes each way, much worse in peak periods. Yesterday, two runs had been cancelled when I last received an update at 2.30pm.
The reductions and delays to the service are causing problems for passengers in the towns, villages and hamlets on the route. They do not know if and when the bus is coming. Worse, the delays are threatening the survival of the service.
The restriction may be in place for several days if not weeks. National Highways told Shropshire Council yesterday: “The lights will have to remain in place until we have been provided confidence the structures are not at risk of collapse.” Currently, National Highways has notified that the lane closure will be in place until 9 May 2025.
The 435 is one of the few rural bus routes in Shropshire which does not receive a direct subsidy from Shropshire Council. Without passengers with their fares and passes, it will not be commercially viable. That could mean the end of popular bus service. Once a service ends, it is difficult and expensive to resurrect it. I doubt whether Shropshire Council would be able to provide a subsidy to keep the service going given its parlous financial circumstances.
I fear that if we wait for insurers to act to make the buildings safe to National Highways’ satisfaction, it could be weeks if not months. I have asked Shropshire Council officers if there is anything they can do to ensure the buildings are made safe at the earliest opportunity and get the lane closure lifted.
For the owners of the part demolished house and the Three Fishes, recently purchased by Black Country Ales, it will be important to get the properties repaired. National Highways and Shropshire Council should also review the safety of the A49 through Bayston Hill as this seems to have been an accident waiting to happen.
A reminder that the 435 will depart Ludlow from Tesco, not the Compasses, until the roadworks on Temeside are lifted towards the end of the month.
Thanks Andy. This is a vital bus link between Ludlow and the villages and towns on route to Shrewsbury. I applaud your efforts to ensure that this service is retained. The drivers on the route are appreciated by passengers and do their very best to keep time. I use it on a regular basis and if only Shropshire Council would invest to remove car congestion at key pinch points it would also allow buses to make the trip without undue delay.