Shropshire Routes to Roots

7. First signs of decline: 1952 to 1960

Changing habits

In 1951 the very first signs were evident of what would soon become a substantial decline in the use of buses and coaches. Gradually car ownership began to rise and soon the television in the front room was making the evening cinema trip less of a priority. The switch from communal to home-based entertainment had begun. The shops were beginning to become full of desirable things to buy, meaning that people had less disposable income to be spent on travel. Initially the reduced income from the decline in passenger usage could easily be absorbed by efficiency savings. The rural railways were having an even harder time of it and some former rail passengers provided extra custom for the buses. It was not all a picture of decline, however. The demand for holiday travel boomed, especially for extended tours that involved overnight stays. The requirement for all children to receive a secondary education led to a massive increase in school contract services. Even so, the period from 1952 to 1960 revealed the first signs of decline.

A 1950's bus outside Oswestry railway station [Shropshire Archive reference: PH/056]

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