When Stroud's buses were green (and even red)
Stagecoach & other operators
Bringing the Story
Up-to-Date
Part 4. The final chapter of the Stroud's Buses book concluded in 2003 on a rather upbeat note. What has happened subsequently? Part 3 here
A New Cause for Optimism?
Throughout 2008, there continued a major disagreement between Stagecoach and the consortium of six districts in Gloucestershire, over concessionary travel reimbursements. Claim and counter claim raged throughout the year, as outspoken Stagecoach managing director Ian Manning accused Stroud and other districts of presiding over a "shambles". Manning went further by commenting of free travel that it was "the most unsatisfactory and time consuming aspects of bus operation that I have seen or faced in my 32 years in the job". He accused the Gloucestershire authorities of paying one of the least attractive reimbursements in England. The result of this spat was very tangible in the reduction off-peak of the 26s from half-hourly to hourly and the cutting at peak times of the Cashes Green 37s from every 15 to every 20 minutes—in spite of increased use following free travel.
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 Hand-me-downs they may be (and Stroud these days is used to that) but the accessibility and modernity of these Dennis Trident/Alexander ALX400s improves the Cheltenhams and Gloucesters markedly  |
 It was during Phil Stockley's appointment as commercial director at Stagecoach West that cascaded ex-London double decks found their way to replace single decks on the 46 and 93 trunk routes |
 Possibly the most unusual bus to find itself on a Stroud route in recent years is this ex-Hong Kong Megadecker tri-axle Olympian, seen at Farmhill in April 2008 |
To sum up—a far more optimistic situation than the low point five years ago.
  Touring Stagecoach West garages in spring 2009 was this Trident SLF double deck seen in Stonehouse, together, My Lords, with a town crier hired in Stroud town centre to advertise Megarider tickets |
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