It would be good to get Chalford using the buses more! Buses are good for the environment and sociable. The more we use them the better they can become.
Chalford isn’t an easy place to run buses – it’s at the top of a steep hill and it’s spread out over several villages. The buses to Cirencester and Swindon that run through the valley are not easily accessible for people on top of the hill.
Nevertheless, Chalford has a comparatively good bus service that we’d like to see used more, but unless you’re a regular user its quite hard to find out what buses run where. So as a start check out the Stagecoach route map. The timetable for the new 67 bus from Bussage to Stroud is here. Stagecoach also run the 52 bus between Cirencester and Stroud along the A419 (route and timetable here). The 864 Stagecoach bus runs from Bisley via Chalford Hill and Bussage to Cirencester College.
Cotswold Green run the 54 route and the 54a along the bottom of the valley between Cirencester and Stroud, whilst the 8B runs between Stroud and Bisley via Eastcombe. The X54 is a school bus running to Stroud High School and Marling calling at several points along the London Road.
These are some of the things we’d like to do:
- Find out how many local people use the buses and for what purpose and what the cost is, and also why people do not use buses.
- Get inspiration from other areas (and the bus companies) then build our own ideas.
- Find out if there is support for a Community Bus to run at fixed times to service commuters or shoppers
- Turn these ideas into separate, achievable projects such as: improving timetable information; cheaper family or group tickets; finding ways to transport people to bus stops, particularly to connect to the National Express and Cirencester buses in the valley; improving bus facilities (e.g. bus shelters, bike storage and racks on buses); and eventually perhaps, more frequent services.
Some of these are relatively easy but others will require much more work. If you can help us then contact us: info@chalcan.org.uk