The driver involved in last Sunday’s rail replacement service between Stone and Stafford has spoken to A Little Bit of Stone to help clear up a misunderstanding that led to widespread discussion on social media earlier this week.
The original post, shared many times locally, described concerns raised by a parent after their daughter felt unsure about a taxi offered at Stone railway station while a delayed service was shown on the platform display. British Transport Police later confirmed the vehicle was part of a legitimate emergency replacement service and that no offences were disclosed.
The driver has now shared his account of the evening to help explain how the situation unfolded. He said he had been working on the route for ten hours that day, operating as a subcontracted driver through Cosy Cabs, the company holding the long running contract for rail replacement work in the area.
He told A Little Bit of Stone,
“The company who I work for has had the contract for rail replacements for at least eight years since I have worked for them.
We don’t work for the rail company full time so we wouldn’t have their logos on our vehicles, we are only called out on rare occasions when an emergency occurs on the lines.”
He added that rail operators are responsible for providing staff at unmanned stations when replacement buses or taxis are deployed at short notice. Stone station is unstaffed, which meant he was the only person present to explain the disruption to waiting passengers.
According to the driver, station staff at Stafford gave him two passengers at 4.43 pm who needed to reach Stone. After dropping them outside the station, he spoke to a man already standing nearby who said he needed to travel back to Stafford. “I explained the train wouldn’t be coming because of damage to overhead power lines and I could take him in the replacement bus. He asked if it was free and I said yes so he jumped in.”
The driver said he then went onto the platform where a woman was waiting and asked where she was travelling. She also said Stafford. “I explained the same situation and pointed at my bus. She didn’t seem sure so I walked back to my bus,” he said.
“As I walked back to my bus another gentleman was walking up to the station, I again asked him where he was going and he said Stafford. I explained he could take the shuttle bus, he asked when we would be leaving and I advised I’m going to wait 5 minutes incase any other passengers arrive.
He asked if there’s enough time for a cigarette and I said no problem. We stood next to the bus and chatted for 5 minutes, when he finished his cigarette I saw the lady on the platform looking our way and said we’re leaving and would she like to come and she said no so the 3 of us left for Stafford station.”
The driver said there was a sign displayed on the vehicle’s dashboard, though the lighting at the station was poor and it may not have been visible from where the woman was standing.
“It was all a misunderstanding,” he said, adding that he hoped the original post might be updated to remove the registration number now that the situation had been clarified.
As part of its earlier response, British Transport Police confirmed,
“Officers have established that a rail replacement service was in place and have no concerns around the taxi. They have spoken to the woman and no offences have been disclosed.”
The parent who raised the original concern said this week that they accepted it may have been a misunderstanding, and that clearer signage and better support at unstaffed stations would help avoid confusion in the future.
CCTV operates at Stone station as part of standard network wide safety measures, although stations without staff can still feel uncertain during late afternoon and evening disruption events.
Anyone unsure about a replacement service while travelling can contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016.
In emergencies, call 999.
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