Commuters, shoppers and visitors travelling into Cheltenham are set to benefit from a series of improvements to the Arle Court Park & Ride Service 100, following new investment from Gloucestershire County Council.
Working in partnership with Stagecoach West, the council has confirmed changes are now in effect to boost the reliability, affordability and flexibility of the popular service, which runs from Arle Court Transport Hub into the town centre.
The Service 100 plays a key role in easing congestion and reducing air pollution in Cheltenham by offering an alternative to driving into the centre. Passengers can park for free all day at Arle Court and travel into town for just £3.50 return for adults, or £5 for groups of up to five people. Thanks to dedicated bus lanes, journey times into central Cheltenham are around 12 minutes.
One of the biggest changes is the introduction of a new Sunday service, supported by a £50,000 investment. Buses now run every 20 minutes between 9.25am and 5.05pm on Sundays, giving weekend shoppers, workers and visitors more travel options.
To support the busy festive period, additional late-evening services have also been introduced at a cost of £10,000. These extra buses are running every 20 minutes until Saturday 10 January 2026, with services operating until 9.45pm Monday to Saturday and until 6.05pm on Sundays.
In total, £60,000 has been invested by Gloucestershire County Council to deliver the improvements.
Councillor Roger Whyborn, cabinet member for sustainable transport and strategic highways, said the enhancements reflect the council’s commitment to cleaner air and better transport:
“Ensuring Arle Court Transport Hub provides as many flexible services as possible is really important to us to help reduce air pollution and congestion. We also want to provide residents with regular, efficient bus services and are proud to support this through investment and partnership working.”
Stagecoach West managing director Chris Hanson said the changes would make the service even more attractive:
“The new Sunday service and extra evening journeys mean people can travel more easily, sustainably and affordably during one of the busiest times of the year. With free parking and quick, reliable links into Cheltenham, we’re committed to making Park & Ride the most convenient choice.”
Arle Court Transport Hub is also home to the UK’s largest contactless payment electric vehicle charging public transport hub. The multi-storey car park includes 100 long-stay EV charge points and four rapid chargers, allowing drivers to charge their vehicles while travelling into Cheltenham.
Updated timetables and route maps for Service 100 are available on Gloucestershire County Council’s website.