Five new bus and coach routes: Part 2

Saturday 12th September 2026

After sampling new Bee Network route 612 and Metro route X3 on Monday I headed down to Gloucestershire later that day ready to be up bright and early on Tuesday to sample the first scheduled departure of GoStroud’s brand new commuter coach route to London.

I’d read about this fascinating initiative back in the summer after a trial run saw Rebecca and Tom MacMillan, a couple of commuters fed up with the high cost of peak rail travel between Stroud and London, decide to do something about offering an alternative by organising an early morning coach to leave Stroud taking commuters direct to West Drayton railway station, not far off the M4, where frequent Elizabeth line trains whisk passengers on into Central London. An early evening return journey from West Drayton was also included in the trial.

Not having any experience in the public transport industry, Rebecca and Tom wisely sought the advice and help of a reputable locally based coach company in the form of Swindon based Barnes Coaches, a member of the Coach Travel Group.

Feedback reported after July’s two week trial when up to 36 passengers travelled one morning confirmed the couple broke even which convinced them the project had the potential to succeed so they set about planning a regular service to begin after the summer was over.

And so it was on Tuesday the very first journey was scheduled to leave Stroud at 06:00 with an expected arrival at West Drayton two hours later at around 08:00. The return journey leaves West Drayton at 18:15 and the service runs initially on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays reflecting the busiest commuter days.

The couple have appointed Ticket Tailor, an online ticket agent, with experience in ticket sales for events, to sell tickets for the service and it was very straightforward to book through their website receiving an email containing the ticket with a QR code which is presented to the driver on boarding.

A choice of boarding stops is provided with the morning journey commencing its journey at Stonehouse at 05:40 followed by Stroud at 06:00 then Chalford at 06:20 and Cirencester at 06:20 then straight to West Drayton.

I was a bit sceptical whether enough commuters would be attracted to a service leaving so early in the morning followed by a two hour journey and not getting back home until 14 hours later. It didn’t sound like my idea of a commute.

However, the cost of a one way single ticket with GoStroud is just £25 towards London in the morning (£20 from London in the evening) and a day return even better value at £30 which compares to the Anytime Single fare on GWR’s train to Paddington of £105 with a return costing double that at £210. A weekly season ticket is £359 thereby offering a saving even if travelling on only two days a week.

Against the much cheaper coach fare has to be weighed the time penalty, although Rebecca and Tom make the point the Elizabeth line provides a quick service into the heart of the West End from West Drayton but, there again, it does the same from Paddington too.

Leaving Stroud at 06:00 and arriving West Drayton at 08:05 passengers can catch an Elizabeth line train at 08:16 and be in Tottenham Court Road at 08:44.

The rail equivalent could mean an extra half hour in bed to catch the 06:27 GWR departure from Stroud arriving Paddington at 07:57 from where an Elizabeth line train at 08:09 would arrive at Tottenham Court Road at 08:14 saving another half hour.

Whether an hour’s time saving is worth a cost saving of £80 on a single journey or, say, two hours on a return journey saving £180 for the day is very much a personal choice. Someone commuting three days a.week (Tuesday to Thursday) would tot up a saving of £269 (£359-£90) but incur an extra six hours travelling.

Against that background I was intrigued to see how many commuters would join me on the very first journey on Tuesday morning.

Arriving at the Stroud pick up point in Cheapside car park on the south side of the railway station at 05:45 I spotted a likely looking passenger already waiting and on asking if she was also catching the coach she confirmed she was and indeed was the designated ‘captain’ for the journey. She explained this meant she keeps an eye out for any problems and also oversees the distribution of coffee and pastries (which can be ordered in advance if boarding in Stroud) as well as ensuring passengers pre-booking a table seat on the coach get to sit there.

A few minutes after that, Rebecca arrived having driven ahead of the coach leaving Stonehouse at 05:40 and was eagerly waiting to take photos as it arrived in Stroud with Tom on board. And sure enough a couple of minutes later the smart looking Irizar i6 coach pulled into the car park at 05:47.

The wet morning and the early hour didn’t dampen the excitement as passengers began arriving and climbing aboard for their first official coach commute to London.

Rebecca was ensuring the moment was captured for social media…

… while Tom brought on board the coffees and pastries for those who’d pre-ordered them.

Passengers kept on coming out of the darkness and as we set off at precisely 06:00 there were 22 of us on board.

Ten minutes later we stopped for the pick up on the outskirts of Chalford and four more passengers came aboard.

Then 10 minutes after that we did the same again on the outskirts of Cirencester with another four coming on board.

After that the journey continued down the A419 for another 25 minutes through the rain, skirting around the eastern side of Swindon, until we joined the M4 at junction 15 at 06:45.

For the next 35 minutes the road conditions were pretty good but by 07:20 after passing south of Reading, I could see the traffic ahead getting heavier…

… and sure enough as we headed on towards Slough the inevitable reduced speed limit became evident…

… with red brake lights ahead and as the late Chris Rea famously experienced we were soon “top to toe in tailbacks” with “red lights all around” and with overhead signs proclaiming “M4 J3-J2 – 20 mins delay”…

,… if you could read it through the rain.

Luckily we were coming off at Junction 4 but before doing so our ‘captain’ had come froward and was suggesting to the driver that she’d noticed on an app there was disruption on the Elizabeth line with journeys being cancelled and delayed adding that Rebecca and Tom had mentioned to her a back up in such circumstances would be to drive on to Haynes & Harlington instead of West Drayton.

The driver didn’t seem keen on the idea at all, saying he wasn’t aware of any back up plans as well as pointing out we’d be delayed even more if we stayed on the M4 and although not my business, I also intervened and pointed out if there was disruption on the Elizabeth line it would be the same at Hayes & Harlington and probably be even harder to get on a packed train.

We stuck to the original plan and came off at the Heathrow/West Drayton junction.

Traffic on Sipson Road (which leads into Station Road to West Drayton station) was initially not too bad…

… but once we got closer to the station it became another “top to toe in tailbacks” and we literally inched our way along.

Having left the M4 at 07:52 we rolled into West Drayton station approach at 08:05 taking 13 minutes to travel one and a half miles, although it felt much longer.

And then we all piled off and soon realised the Elizabeth line was definitely in meltdown.

It was the fall out from the fire started deliberately as arson on Saturday which destroyed electrical equipment…

… leading to reduced services able to run and severely impacting all train companies with the Elizabeth line running only a half hourly service from West Drayton into Paddington meaning two in every three trains had been cancelled.

I got as far as the footbridge linking the platforms but turned back having seen the packed crowds waiting on the platform including in the rain (under the canopy was completely rammed) with a train only recently left (running late) and another 13 minutes before the next one – I realised there’d be no chance of getting on it. It had probably filled up back in Maidenhead or Slough.

It was a chaotic end to what had otherwise been a very smooth commute and of course is no reflection on GoStroud.

To have attracted 30 passengers on the very first journey is a fantastic achievement. I was hugely surprised at the level of support. I wish Rebecca and Tom every success for the venture as having reflected on those comparative fares and even with my Senior Railcard discount I’d also be miffed at having to pay out £140 for a peak hour return journey into London when I could have a nice smooth coach journey for £30 return instead.

Roger French

PS I ended up catching a 222 to Uxbridge and using the Metropolitan line into London which probably took much longer than had I persevered at West Drayton, but I just couldn’t face the crowds.

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