Stagecoach West has announced several changes to bus services around Stroud. 

The company says the changes will ‘improve reliability’ for passengers and aims to encourage more people to switch from cars to buses.

The following services will be changing: 63, 64, 66, 67 and two new services 62 and 166, will be introduced.

Among the announcements Service 67 which operates between Bussage and Stroud as well as Cashes Green will no longer run on Sundays due to ‘low passenger demand’. 

However, two new services have been introduced improving links between Stroud, Gloucester and Cheltenham. 

New timetables will come into effect from Sunday, February 19. 

Service 63 

Revised frequency: Gloucester – Stroud via Stroud Road- Whaddon, Brookthorpe -Edge.

Service 63 between Forest Green, Stroud, and Gloucester will now run hourly Monday to Saturday and every two hours on a Sunday. 

NEW Service 62

New service: Stonehouse – Stroud - Gloucester.

However, a brand-new Service 62 will launch providing a quicker link between Gloucester and Stroud. 

It will run via Stroud Road, Whaddon, Brookthorpe, Edge, Pitchcombe and Painswick Road. Running hourly Monday to Saturday and every two hours on a Sunday. 

Service 64 

Revised timetable: Stroud – Stonehouse – Gloucester.

Service 64 will continue to operate on the current route up to every 30 minutes Monday to Friday, Saturdays and hourly Sundays and Bank Holidays. 

There will be a new timetable, so passengers are being advised to check the new departure times ahead of their journey.

Service 66

Revised route and timetable: Stroud – Painswick – Abbeydale – Gloucester Business Park – Shurdington – Cheltenham.

There will be route changes to Service 66, which currently runs between Stonehouse, Stroud, Brockworth, Painswick Road and Cheltenham. 

The route of this service will change to provide new links and greater access to Stroud and Cheltenham from Gloucester’s suburbs running via Abbeydale, Coopers Edge and Gloucester Business Park between Painswick and Brockworth.  

Previous connections between Stonehouse, Leonard Stanley and Stroud on Service 66 will be maintained with the new Service 62 which will run from Stroud to Gloucester.

NEW Service 166

New timetable to replace part of the 66: Brockworth – Stroud and Thomas Keble School

Service 166 will be introduced to maintain links from Painswick Road to Stroud and Brockworth, running Monday to Saturday. 

The service will also provide school day journeys to Thomas Keble School. 

On Sunday's the 166 will operate to the existing route of the 66 between Cheltenham and Stroud.

Service 67 

Revised timetable: Cashes Green - Stroud – Bussage.

Service 67 will now run hourly between Bussage and Stroud, with a half-hour frequency maintained between Cashes Green and Stroud. 

Current low passenger demand in the evenings has led to the evening services being reduced and unfortunately journeys will no longer run on Sundays. 

'Buses are important to jobs and education'

Rachel Geliamassi, managing director, Stagecoach West said: “We know how important local bus networks are in connecting people to jobs, education, and skills, as well as ensuring access to key public services.

“These changes help to ensure our bus network is fit for the future, whilst maintaining and creating new connections for residents. 

“Longer-term, our aim is to grow the local bus network by working together with national and local government to attract more people out of their cars and onto more sustainable public transport. 

“The more people who switch to buses, the greater the positive impact on our network. 

“It can generate vital investment for more electric vehicles, helps keep fares low and ultimately will help us to expand the bus network to meet new demand.”

Copies of the new timetables can be found on the Stagecoach website at here - tinyurl.com/25dy8fme