Shropshire bus firm criticised over Veganuary decision

The campiagners had paid for 20 posters on buses in Shrewsbury and Telford

Campaigners have criticised a bus company after posters promoting Veganuary were removed from vehicles.

A group of independent campaigners paid £2,650 for 20 adverts on Arriva buses in Shrewsbury and Telford.

However, they were told on Friday that there had been a complaint and the posters were being removed.

Arriva said the decision to remove the adverts was not due to their content, but said the correct approval process for the adverts had not been followed.

It comes after a councillor previously said adverts promoting veganism should be removed from buses because of the county's agricultural history.

Jo Reff, from Shropshire, fundraised for the posters to run for four weeks with a group of independent campaigners.

'I feel distraught'

"I received an email informing me that they were being removed based on a number of 'complaints'," she said.

"We had no prior warning, just an email to inform us that it was being removed.

"I feel distraught about this. We have been spending lots of time and effort to raise funds to encourage awareness."

Ms Reff said campaigners are now looking at taking legal action.

Arriva said advertising was managed by a third-party company where an approval process is in place.

It said: "A recent customer complaint brought it to our attention that our agreed sign-off process with this third-party had not been followed on this occasion.

"We can confirm that the adverts have subsequently been removed.

"Arriva is and continues to be impartial and the decision to remove these adverts does not relate to the content, but was taken as the agreed procedure was not adhered to."