THE free vaccination shuttle buses arranged by the council in partnership with Arriva and Minsterley Motors to vaccination centres in Ludlow have helped get residents from the most vulnerable cohorts to their vaccination appointments since early February 2021.

As the vaccination programme slows nationally in April 2021, all the shuttle buses were temporarily suspended effective from Thursday, April 1, 2021, and details about their return to service will be published at the appropriate time.

There will be a delay of a period estimated at about a month before the vaccination programme is ramped up again.

“The vaccination shuttle will be suspended. It might be reinstated later but it has been little used,” said Andy Boddington, Shropshire councillor for Ludlow North.

“It was the right idea but there was little demand. I am not convinced it should be reinstated at the expense of the town service.”

Since last Thursday, the 701 and 722 have reverted to their previous timetables, with each running every half an hour from Ludlow Assembly Rooms.

Ludlow’s 701 service leaves the stop outside the Assembly Rooms and runs every half hour and on the half hour as does the 702 that links the town centre to the Eco Park.

King Street will be closed on Fridays and Saturdays from April 16 until 19 June. According to the timetable set out by Government it is intended that all Covid related restrictions will be lifted from June 21.

During the closures, buses will operate from the Compasses on Corve Street.

Because of the Covid-19 restrictions this year the town has been very quiet and with fewer people there has been little demand for the bus service.

However, this is expected to change with the arrival of the spring and the gradual reopening of shops and other attractions. The demand is anticipated to increase in the coming weeks. Much depends upon how confident people in Ludlow will be in getting out and about again.