A new ‘Work Express’ bus service is being developed by Telford & Wrekin Council with a tender published for a new provider. The new route is in direct response to a review of services carried out in 2021 in which residents expressed a need for better links to employment sites.
The new route forms part of the council’s ‘On Your Side’ programme, aimed at supporting residents travelling to local employment areas with cheaper alternatives to private cars, particularly amidst the cost of living crisis.
Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing, Enforcement and Transport Councillor Richard Overton said: “Getting to and from work and the costs associated with it are taking a chunk out of many household budgets and this service will go some way in firstly helping people get to work in an affordable way and hopefully open up new employment opportunities for those who may have previously struggled to get the sites.
“We approached the Government for funding as part of our overall bus service improvement plan and disappointingly Telford & Wrekin Council wasn’t allocated any money at all. As a council we cannot stand by so are funding the improvements ourselves.”
Despite no national funding, a number of new routes are being funded by the council. The routes were identified within the Bus Service Improvement Plan as areas in need of improved bus provision and are being tendered alongside the ‘Work Express.’ It is hoped that these new services will be key to delivering improvement in public transport for people travelling to work and school.
