Over 750 local residents have united to call for urgent improvements to the 97/98 bus service that connects Churchdown and Innsworth with Cheltenham and Gloucester. The community’s concerns were formally presented in a petition to Shire Hall on March 25.
The petition, initiated by Gloucestershire County Councillor Stewart Dove and supported by Sarah Hands, Tewkesbury Borough Council’s representative for Innsworth and Highnam at Shire Hall, urges Stagecoach to conduct a thorough review of the service. Their focus is on addressing persistent reliability problems that have led to significant inconvenience for passengers.
“The state of our local public transport, particularly the 97/98 Stagecoach bus service, has become increasingly troubling,” the councillors stated in the petition. “The reliability has seriously declined, causing disruptions especially for morning school and work journeys.”
Community members depend on this bus route as a lifeline for daily travel, but frequent delays mean children are often left stranded and commuters face longer, unpredictable journeys. Since September 2023, route changes to and from Cheltenham have notably increased journey times without prior consultation, further aggravating passengers.
“It’s vital that this service works for everyone, but currently it fails to meet our community’s travel needs,” the petition highlights. The councillors emphasize that it is “time for action” to restore reliable, efficient transport.
They are calling on Stagecoach to partner with council officers to implement sustainable fixes that prioritize prompt and dependable service, particularly focusing on restoring smooth connections to Cheltenham. The overarching goal is to provide peace of mind for all travellers relying on the route for essential school and work trips.
Stagecoach has been contacted for a response to the petition.