It’s just two weeks until Shrewsbury’s Festive Night Bus rolls out of the station, with the first bus setting out on the 24 November.

The Night Bus trial will offer affordable, convenient and safe late-night travel for workers and visitors enjoying the town’s vibrant evening and night-time scene in the run-up to Christmas.

Running Mon-Sat until midnight, the service will cover routes N11 (Bicton Heath), N25 (Harlescott) and N27 (Bayston Hill).

To celebrate the trial’s launch, the organisers have announced that all travel on the Night Bus will be free for the first week. After that, fares will remain great value at £2 for adults and £1 for children under 16, with a group ticket offering great value for groups of up to 5 people for £5. Concessions can travel for free, and passengers can use their existing weekly or monthly Arriva bus passes to travel.

The trial is funded by the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan Partnership (SBTPP), with Shrewsbury BID leading the project and Arriva operating the service. The initiative has also benefitted from valuable input and support from the Shrewsbury Transport Integration Group (STIG), chaired by MP Julia Buckley, who has long campaigned for improved late-night transport options in the town.

The new service aims to help people get home safely after a night out, offering more independence for those working or socialising late, and cutting the number of people walking home along riverside routes, which can pose safety risks.

As well as helping people save money, the Night Bus will support the local night-time economy by encouraging visitors to stay longer and enjoy Shrewsbury’s pubs, restaurants and venues, confident they can get home easily and safely.

Full route and timetable information will be available online at shrewsburymoves.com/nightbus, printed leaflets will be distributed across pubs, bars, restaurants and venues throughout the town centre, and timetables will be displayed in bus stops along the Night Bus routes.