A PLAYBUS that has brought pleasure to youngsters in south Shropshire for 30 years has reached the end of the road.

After nearly three decades and four differently designed double decker buses, the Shropshire Playbus Association has decided that the wheels on the bus are finally going to have to stop.

Peter Dunhill, a founder member of the association and its current treasurer, said that changing needs had caused the decision to bring the initiative to an end.

“When we started the Shropshire Playbus, the county had lots of voluntary run playgroups and parent and toddler groups and we helped by going to places in rural and suburban areas where they did not exist," said Mr Dunhill.

“We also supported groups running holiday play schemes. Over the years these groups have dwindled because people now want nursery care that allows them to go to work.

"The Playbus was never about childcare, as parents and cares had to accompany their children – it has always been about creative family play. In many ways we feel we have done our job and it’s now time to move on.

“Recently it has been increasingly challenging to attract and justify funding to keep the £45,000 per year operation going, although support giving bodies like the Roy Fletcher Trust, Shropshire’s Surestart programme, the Westcroft Trust, the Millichope Foundation, the Armed Forces Covenant, Shropshire Housing and Severnside Housing have been extremely generous.”

He added that running the bus just during school holidays when demand is high is not financially viable.