The Long Mynd, Stiperstones and Secret Hills Shuttles will all be running this year, on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank holiday Mondays - including Easter.
Their main operating season will be from Saturday 3rd May through to Sunday 28th September, but they will also be running during the Easter weekend - Saturday 22nd, Sunday 23rd and Monday 24th March.
The buses will once again be operated by Shropshire County Council's bus Fleet, so the buses will all be wheelchair accessible.
The timetables and routes will be the same as in 2007 - see www.shropshirehillsshuttles.co.uk
Ticket prices for 2008 are £5.00 for an adult day rover and £2.50 for a child day rover (under 16s). A day rover ticket is valid on all three shuttle routes. Singles fares are also available on the Shuttles – for example it costs just £1.00 for an adult to board the Shuttle at Carding Mill Valley and then travel up to the top of the Long Mynd.
From the 1st April 2008 a National Concessionary Fares scheme for Senior Citizens in England is being introduced, which will allow anyone with a valid concessionary travel pass to travel on the Shropshire Hills Shuttles for free. We hope this will encourage both local people and tourists to travel on the Shuttles for the first time.
We are able to run the Shuttles this year thanks to Shropshire County Council putting some money from their transport budget into the Shuttles for the first time, but the service is also being funded and supported by The National Trust, Shropshire Hills AONB, SSDC, Natural England and town and parish councils.
The 2008 Shuttles leaflet is currently being produced, and will be available from 18th April, and the shuttles website www.shropshirehillsshuttles.co.uk also includes information about the 2008 season.
In previous years TESS (Transport for Everyone in South Shropshire) have acted as a point of contact for the Shuttles, and have answered passenger enquiries. However TESS will be closing on 31st March this year. All of the Shuttle bus partners would like to thank TESS for the support they have given the Shuttles over the years.
Enquiries about the Shuttles are now being dealt with by the SCC Customer Service Centre who can be contacted on 01743 251000 (Monday – Friday). The call centre staff will also help take wheelchair bookings and requests for 2008 Shuttles leaflets.