Bus service starts again (From Gazette Series)

Bus service starts again

BUS commuters between Dursley and Stroud have been warned to use the early morning service or lose it again.

The early morning number 20 bus is returning to service after it was cut from Stagecoach's schedule because not enough people were using it to cover costs.

Following complaints from disgruntled bus users Gloucestershire County Council representative for Cam and Dursley (Lab) Cllr Margaret Nolder approached the county council to get the service back on the timetable.

"I am delighted that the county council responded so helpfully," said Cllr Nolder.

"I was contacted by Hilary Fowles, who goes to work in Stroud on the number 20 every day, on behalf of a number of bus users who could no longer get into work on time. The council has taken this on board and put in a replacement bus service."

The bus, which will return to service on Monday, September 5, will continue to be run by Stagecoach, under contract from the county council.

The bus will leave Dursley at 6.36am, arriving in Stonehouse High Street at 7.10am and in Stroud at 7.25am.

"The cut in service inconvenienced a number of passengers who had to find other ways of getting to work and others had to alter their time of work," said Cllr Fowles welcoming the news that the service had been reinstated.

"But if we are to keep the early bus it's vital to get everyone back on it because if not enough people use it, it won't be worth running."

Councillor Nolder said the reinstatement of the service was an ideal opportunity for more people to start using public transport.

"We should all be working to get more people on to public transport and out of cars," she said.

"This is an ideal opportunity for people who work in Stonehouse or Stroud to switch to the bus for at least some of their journeys and I hope that as many people as possible will take advantage."