Parish Plan Short-Term Actions

Transport

Vision: All residents to have access to information about the various modes of transport available to them

For many people living in rural areas such as ours getting about can be difficult especially for those without their own means of transport, which usually means a car. This page is intended to provide information on various means of transport which may suit your own particular circumstances, where appropriate we have provided links to other information systems, BBC Gloucestershire and, in particular, the Gloucestershire County Council website where you can access the Transport page where the following information is available:

• Public Transport - bus and train information
  
  
  • Bus Services

    On this page you can Search and download Bus Timetables; these are listed by Districts so by clicking on Stroud you can view what may be the most appropriate information for you initially in planning you journey. There is also a link to the Village Link bus services, which provide more journey possibilities than the conventional bus routes. In particular here you can explore the Village Night Bus, which is proving particularly popular for the youngsters who are not yet car owners and for the car owners who just fancy a relaxing social night in Stroud without the consideration of drinking and driving. Information on Concessionary Fares is also included on this page.

  • Train Services

    This page also has information on railway routes and timetables, and also has a link to National Rail website so you can plan your rail journey as well.

  • Park and Ride

    If you are visiting Gloucester or Cheltenham, our Park and Ride services can help you avoid the hassle of city centre driving, finding a parking space or the expense of city centre parking.

• Private Transport
  
  
  • This page includes a link to the Car Club, which is an innovative scheme launched by the Stroud Valleys Car Club where, instead of owning your own car with the associated costs, you share a car through a small annual membership fee and only pay further when you actually use it (cost per hour and per mile).
  
  
  
  • Cycling

    With growing concerns about our health and the need to take more exercise and quite rightly, concerns about the environment, many more people are considering cycling, be it to work, shopping or just for leisure. On the Private Transport webpage there is information about the Cycle Network routes of Gloucestershire including the 6-mile Stroud Valleys Pedestrian Cycle Trail. For those interested in getting started there is also a list of local cycle shops together with info on cycle hire and holidays.

    June 2007 sees the production of the Stroud Cycling map which indicates how busy roads are, plus places of interest and is a great source of information including the Pot Holes Hotline (0800 514514) together with a chance to join organised local evening and weekend rides (which always include a pub!). Contact Sheila Booth 01453 762233 for a copy of their leaflet Uphill and membership details.

• Accessible and Flexible Transport - This section provides information on the various types of transport in Gloucestershire that provide alternative to the public bus.
  
  
  • Community transport is the provision of transport for those people who would otherwise be stranded. These groups of people include the elderly, those with disabilities and those with no bus service or car. A2B info is a one-stop shop for your transport enquiries giving you details about what is available in your village, how you can access it and where you can use it.
  • Gloucestershire Mini-Bus Scheme could be useful if you have a community, youth or school group but cannot afford to own and run your own mini-bus permanently; if so this scheme has been designed to make an existing owned mini-bus available to you for occasional use.
  
  
  
• Schools Transport - Here you will find details of how to obtain bus passes, free home to school information and if in Higher Education what entitlements you have as fare as student loans are concerned to cover transport needs.

Walking

Whilst we may seem a little isolated within Bisley, Eastcombe and Oakridge, places such as Stroud are actually not that far away if you have a little more time at your disposal. There are a number of pleasant walks into the town, which do not mean you have to risk life and limb walking along our main roads, for example from Catswood via Swifts Hill and Summer Street you can be in Stroud within 40 mins (a bit longer coming back up, but the exercise will be worth it!). From Eastcombe go over Bismore Bridge and past Ferris Court Farm and Round Elm, and then Middle Lypiatt, Snakeshole and past the Cemetery to Horns Road, whilst from Oakridge you have a pleasant walk along the canal.

For recreation, see Walking in Gloucestershire which has more than 70 FREE Gloucestershire walks to download, details of all the books, maps and walking groups in the county

Horseback

When the oil finally runs out we might have to go back to horsepower. Many local people already ride for pleasure but as petrol becomes scarcer and expensive we might get out those old traps and gigs out of the barns and onto the roads again!!