Otago Polytechnic Students

Do buses go to the nearest train station, how often? Price? Is this the main mode of transport out of town? 

Most people resort to driving.

There are 2 bus stops in Bishops Castle. The buses that come to Bishops Castle travel to one of the nearest towns. Shrewsbury (22 miles away). Shrewsbury have a train station, a short distance from the bus stop. As far as I am aware, this service is running no more than 4 or 5 times per day. The price of a single fare to Shrewsbury is £4.10. There are discount cards for students or pensioners. Ludlow (19 miles away) is our closes town, but there is no direct bus service from Bishops Castle to Ludlow, you would have to travel to Shrewsbury first, to then get a bus from Shrewsbury to Ludlow.

There are alternative modes of transport. Such as taxis, but there is very limited taxi service in Bishops Castle. There is the option of the 'dial-a-ride' mini bus, aimed at elderly people with no form of transport who need travel to appointments etc. but if you do not have your own driving license, the bus is the main mode of transport to get out of town.  

Has there been any recent development in walkways and cycle paths within Bishop’s Castle? 

This has been a subject of discussion for many years and a feasibility study was undertaken several years ago to establish a cycle path to other nearby communities. The issue was that the path could have to go along the edge of a number of private properties and while nearly all property owners agreed to the creation of the route, one landholder resisted and effectively stopped the initiative. There has been recent discussion amongst the Town Council of re-visiting the idea and encouraging the landowner.

I am not aware of any recent development myself. Someone who has had more input may have more to say on this. There are no 'official' cycle paths in Bishops Castle, but it is a very popular area for cyclists. It is a very rural, beautiful town so during the tourist season, there are a lot of hikers and cyclists that come to Bishops Castle. 

We have 'public footpaths' everywhere in Bishops Castle, so people can go on long walks and hikes. However, these are used mainly for leisure and exercise and are often not suitable for people with physical health or mobility issues.  

What is the involvement of youth within the community? Are there programs for this or pathways?

This is low, with many youth commuting into the college and leaving after the school day is done. There is the Football pitch, the leisure Centre (opening hours are short, in my view) and the skate park. Actual community participation (volunteering, youth forums) is a part of the college, but I'm not sure to what extent the students achieve a wider engagement. There has been recent work through the Council, with one councillor in particular, Andy Stelman, driving a focus on Youth engagement and enfranchisement in the community. There is a nascent process underway to create a town youth council in partnership with the college.

I believe my friend Hope who is part of this project, has a lot of input regarding the young people in our community, and ways they can be involved in the community and how they can benefit from their involvement. As we stated in our zoom call the other evening/morning, we have a very interactive community, where all different age groups are mixing as friends.

I am unaware of programs or pathways in place for this. However I can give you my personal opinion. 

I think the facilities for the young community in Bishops Castle are available, but there is a lack of awareness. I think it is important that the young community are made aware of what support and activities can be provided in the local town. I think 'boredom' is a big factor in the community which results in young people turning to substance abuse, which can then result in further problems, such as poor mental health and financial unstability. This can really impact them in later life and prevent them from reaching their full potential.  

Is there plans for the bus running to Ludlow to increase the number of trips per week, or prolong the time spent in Ludlow? Is this service popular within the town?

As stated in the other question, in order to get to Ludlow, you need to travel 22 miles to the town of Shrewsbury first, before having to catch a bus from Shrewsbury to Ludlow, which is a further 29miles - making it a very long trip! Particulary for someone who is in poor health or elderly! A car journey to Ludlow will take no more than half an hour from Bishops Castle, but if you were to use the bus service, it would be taking over 2 hours! With the bus service from BC to Shrewsbury only running 4 times a day it is massively restricting. 

This bus service is very popular. Recently, the Minsterley Motors Bus Company (that provided the buses in BC) were going to reduce the bus service in Bishops Castle, but the town got together and petitioned against it because it is a very valued aspect for the town and without it, many service users would not be able to leave the town. ​

Has the impact of covid reduced the tourism income for the community? How has this impacted the community and income revenue?

This was an impact for a time during lockdowns, but with more people looking to holiday in the UK there has been a recovery in tourism. I can't say whether or not it has returned to pre-covid levels, but I will note that a number of community events that usually take place annually aren't taking place this year (Beer festival for example). These historically have drawn lots of people to town. 

I believe covid impacted the town a lot. Particularly the first Summer that covid hit (2020). From April to September is the prime time for tourists coming to the area, but often we have tourists throughout the Winter to. Due to the uniqueness and beauty of the town and the surrounding areas, people come from all over the country to enjoy. However with several lockdowns, we have not had the tourists. This has impacted local businesses such as the locals pubs, restaurants, and independent shops. Annual events such as 'The Bishops Castle Beer Festival', and the 'Michaelmas Fair' and the 'Carnival' are just some of the events that have been cancelled over the past 2 years due to covid, which are events that promote the town and provide income for the community that is very much needed in order to keep the community going.