Cheltenham Rail Station Poorly Served by Buses.

[Envoy]

I recently took a train to Cheltenham. On exiting the station, I saw a Stagecoach bus across the road which said ‘Town Centre via Hatherley’ and boarded it. What a mistake that was! Rather than going towards the town centre, I was taken on a grand tour of estates in south Cheltenham to arrive back at the train station about 30 minutes later. This same bus - with the same number/letter then went to the town centre - though even this was not a direct route. I contend that a bus that was going to go in a loop through estates in south Cheltenham should not have said it was going to the town centre.

On arriving home, I looked at the map view on bustimes.org to try and figure out the routes of buses in Cheltenham. What seems apparent is relatively few buses call at the train station - even though it has loads of trains and is a good mile from the town centre. There does not appear to be a regular shuttle bus going direct between station and town centre. Only buses that stop right outside the station entrance go to the town centre and even these do not appear to go direct. No wonder so many taxis are hanging out near the station!

Looking at the buses on the bustimes map, I note that frequent services operate on the nearby A40 route - mainly going to Gloucester. These are Stagecoach services 100, 94 and 94x and I really do wonder why these can not be diverted to use Queen’s Road to/from the station and then back to their present route via B4633 Gloucester Road? That would provide a regular direct link between station and town and also help the locals on these routes reach the trains.

Pulham’s 801 serves The Cotswolds but we have the ridiculous situation where this service does not reach the station but terminates in the town centre - meaning people have all the hassle of using the inadequate bus service between station and town in order to get a bus that does go to/from the north Cotswolds.

The way things are now, I think that a clear sign should be by the station entrance saying ‘Wait Here for Buses to the Town Centre’. (They have an electronic sign which is very faded and facing the sunlight - almost out of sight to the hard left of anyone exiting the station).

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Looking at the buses on the bustimes map, I note that frequent services operate on the nearby A40 route - mainly going to Gloucester. These are Stagecoach services 100, 94 and 94x and I really do wonder why these can not be diverted to use Queen’s Road to/from the station and then back to their present route via B4633 Gloucester Road? That would provide a regular direct link between station and town and also help the locals on these routes reach the trains.

Pulham’s 801 serves The Cotswolds but we have the ridiculous situation where this service does not reach the station but terminates in the town centre - meaning people have all the hassle of using the inadequate bus service between station and town in order to get a bus that does go to/from the north Cotswolds.

The reason is that the effort isn't worth the reward. Essentially, for the 94, you'd have to put in another vehicle into the cycle at least. You'd also put a time penalty on the 94 for which part of the attraction is the centre to centre journey time compared with the car (and parking faff).

Given that Gloucester CC have put funds in the 801, they could've done extended it but felt they'd have better returns from upping the frequency/extending to Chipping Norton

 

[RT4038]

The reason is that the effort isn't worth the reward. Essentially, for the 94, you'd have to put in another vehicle into the cycle at least. You'd also put a time penalty on the 94 for which part of the attraction is the centre to centre journey time compared with the car (and parking faff).

Given that Gloucester CC have put funds in the 801, they could've done extended it but felt they'd have better returns from upping the frequency/extending to Chipping Norton

I think Oxfordshire have paid for the Chipping Norton extension, with Gloucestershire contributing to the frequency increase between Cheltenham and Moreton. Looking at the timetable, which for reliability requires plenty of recovery layover at each end due to unpredictable (tourist related) traffic flows at various points en route, extension to the station would cost an additional vehicle, which, as you point out, there would be better (or at least some) returns elsewhere. Of course, the railways did have better sited station(s) for Cheltenham town centre, but abandoned them for their operational convenience.

 

[glennds999]

I think Oxfordshire have paid for the Chipping Norton extension, with Gloucestershire contributing to the frequency increase between Cheltenham and Moreton. Looking at the timetable, which for reliability requires plenty of recovery layover at each end due to unpredictable (tourist related) traffic flows at various points en route, extension to the station would cost an additional vehicle, which, as you point out, there would be better (or at least some) returns elsewhere. Of course, the railways did have better sited station(s) for Cheltenham town centre, but abandoned them for their operational convenience.

The current Chipping Norton extension on the 801 is commercial.

 

[richard13]

Routes D and N provide 5 buses per hour during weekday daytime, between the station and town centre. That is probably sufficient for the demand.

The only "local" train is to Gloucester for which the bus provides a better service. Most other trains are longer distance and so won't attract a vast flow of passengers.

 

[Taunton]

The reason is that the effort isn't worth the reward. Essentially, for the 94, you'd have to put in another vehicle into the cycle at least.

In addition, contrary to the opinions of transport enthusiasts, there is very little demand for joint bus-rail journeys. Used to be more common, but that was a couple of generations ago. Fundamentally the two serve parallel universes, by the time you take away the seniors, typically just travelling within the town, and the schoolchildren, likewise, there is very little bus baseload left.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I think Oxfordshire have paid for the Chipping Norton extension, with Gloucestershire contributing to the frequency increase between Cheltenham and Moreton. Looking at the timetable, which for reliability requires plenty of recovery layover at each end due to unpredictable (tourist related) traffic flows at various points en route, extension to the station would cost an additional vehicle, which, as you point out, there would be better (or at least some) returns elsewhere. Of course, the railways did have better sited station(s) for Cheltenham town centre, but abandoned them for their operational convenience.

The current Chipping Norton extension on the 801 is commercial.

Had a nagging thought that Roger French had covered this in some way and the 801 funding came from Gloucestershire CC to do the frequency uplift. That left a long layover in Moreton so Pulhams extended it to Chipping Norton. So it's commercial but it is really at marginal cost off the back of GCC's funding.

In addition, contrary to the opinions of transport enthusiasts, there is very little demand for joint bus-rail journeys. Used to be more common, but that was a couple of generations ago. Fundamentally the two serve parallel universes, by the time you take away the seniors, typically just travelling within the town, and the schoolchildren, likewise, there is very little bus baseload left.

Quite. In a town near where I live, the buses run into the town centre and can then run to either the Sainsburys/Retail Park or to the station. Experience has proven that the superstore and not the station is the greater traffic generator.

 

[JKP]

Had a nagging thought that Roger French had covered this in some way and the 801 funding came from Gloucestershire CC to do the frequency uplift. That left a long layover in Moreton so Pulhams extended it to Chipping Norton. So it's commercial but it is really at marginal cost off the back of GCC's funding.


Quite. In a town near where I live, the buses run into the town centre and can then run to either the Sainsburys/Retail Park or to the station. Experience has proven that the superstore and not the station is the greater traffic generator.

Around 40 years ago, I was involved in an on bus survey of a bus route which served a city centre then went on to terminate at the railway station. If I recall correctly, 10% of passengers stated they used the bus to connect to/from the train.

 

[Envoy]

In Wales, they seem to be making great strides in trying to get co-ordination between rail and bus transport. This does not matter so much in a city like Cardiff but it does matter where infrequent buses go through more sparsely populated areas. As I said at the beginning, the Pulham’s 801 should go all the way to Cheltenham station to avoid people of having the hassle of using another bus for the roughly 1 mile journey between town and station.

Llanelli - although smaller than Cheltenham - has a similar situation where buses to the hinterland terminate in the town centre - which is about 1 mile from the rail station. They are now in the process of building a bus terminal outside Llanelli station. The same thing is happening at Neath train station. This is because it is recognised in Wales that it is important to link the rail services with the bus routes.

Many thanks everyone who has responded thus far.

 

[glennds999]

Had a nagging thought that Roger French had covered this in some way and the 801 funding came from Gloucestershire CC to do the frequency uplift. That left a long layover in Moreton so Pulhams extended it to Chipping Norton. So it's commercial but it is really at marginal cost off the back of GCC's funding.


Quite. In a town near where I live, the buses run into the town centre and can then run to either the Sainsburys/Retail Park or to the station. Experience has proven that the superstore and not the station is the greater traffic generator.

Yes, there is GCC funding in the 801 for the Cheltenham to Moreton section. With support from Oxfordshire, we will be making some improvements to the Sunday service very soon.

 

[CharlesR]

The frequency of D (and now E) will double to every 10 minutes from September, so this will improve connections to the town centre. The station will now be the route terminus as well so this should reduce confusion.

 

[Envoy]

The frequency of D (and now E) will double to every 10 minutes from September, so this will improve connections to the town centre. The station will now be the route terminus as well so this should reduce confusion.

Well, that is good to know.

Someone has mentioned in my other thread about Ashchurch having many more houses built. Presumably some of these people - as well as the present population - will be travelling to/from Cheltenham. It will certainly help them shift to public transport if the rail/bus interchange is slick at both locations. (Yes, I know they can go by direct bus so may not use the train).

"There's a huge amount of housing planned around Ashchurch, over 10,000 houses, some of which have now been built. I can see justification for 2tph by the end of the decade, an hourly Birmingham service would be very helpful, probably combined with a faster Bristol service? An increase in XC services as part of the Midlands Rail Hub would seem an ideal time"

Ashchurch (for Tewkesbury) Station Needs More Services.

At present, Ashchuch (for Tewkesbury) station has one service an hour - usually on the Bristol to Worcester route. Rarely, an additional train calls - likely to be on the Nottingham to Cardiff route. On Wednesday 16th July 2025, a new Designer Outlet Shopping Centre opened (see photo 1) and this...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Well, that is good to know.

Someone has mentioned in my other thread about Ashchurch having many more houses built. Presumably some of these people - as well as the present population - will be travelling to/from Cheltenham. It will certainly help them shift to public transport if the rail/bus interchange is slick at both locations. (Yes, I know they can go by direct bus so may not use the train).

Ashchurch (for Tewkesbury) Station Needs More Services.

At present, Ashchuch (for Tewkesbury) station has one service an hour - usually on the Bristol to Worcester route. Rarely, an additional train calls - likely to be on the Nottingham to Cardiff route. On Wednesday 16th July 2025, a new Designer Outlet Shopping Centre opened (see photo 1) and this...

www.railforums.co.uk

Ashchurch is zoned as such and it may well see the restoration of the 41 to pre-Covid frequencies in due course? I think the direct bus is likely to be the winner if you're travelling to Cheltenham - why get two buses and a train when you can have one bus?