Transport Challenges

There are no major roads into the Ironbridge Gorge. The route in and out consists of steep hills and winding lanes. Car parking provision is very limited and there are few opportunities to expand this outside the existing envelope.

Traffic jams are frequent, particularly during the spring and summer months when visitor numbers are highest. The narrow roads cannot easily accommodate buses and coaches; while there is a reasonable number of bus services in the Telford area, only two run through the Ironbridge Gorge Monday-Saturday, with no Sunday service at all. This clearly does not provide a sustainable service, encouraging car users to use public transport.

The nearest railway stations are Bridgnorth, served by the Severn Valley Railway (services to and from Kidderminster) and Telford Central, which is situated on the Birmingham to Shrewsbury line. There is no current railway access from Telford or Bridgnorth through the Gorge, therefore there is no option for travellers to leave their cars behind and use rail.

Key Challenges
1. No major roads
2. Steep hills in and out the gorge
3. Car parking limited
4. Frequent Traffic jams
5. Difficult for buses and coaches to navigate
6. Inadequate bus service
7. Local economy suffers from poor access