Bus changes affecting Stone and nearby villages are due to begin tomorrow, Monday 30 March 2026, with new stops now in place for the Aston Lodge route.
Printed timetables have gone up along Lichfield Road and around the Aston Lodge estate ahead of the launch of D&G Bus service A, which will link the estate with Stone town centre.
At the same time, D&G Bus is also taking over services 102 and 102A, covering journeys between Stone, Walton, Yarnfield and Swynnerton, with Norton Bridge also included in the new 102 pattern.
A Little Bit of Stone counted five new stops on each side of Lichfield Road, plus three around the Aston Lodge loop – did we miss any?
New stops up ahead of first day
Along Lichfield Road, fresh bus stop signs are already in place, with timetables fitted and ready. Around Aston Lodge, the new route is marked out too, giving residents a clearer picture of how the service will work in practice.
It is a small thing, really, but it matters. A route can feel a bit abstract until the stops actually go in.
Once the signs are there, people start clocking where they are, how far the walk is, which side of the road they need, and whether it might actually work for them day to day.
Aston Lodge gets a new route of its own
The new service A will run between Stone and Aston Lodge five times a day, Monday to Saturday.
Buses are due to leave Christchurch Way in Stone at 9.11am, 10.11am, 11.11am, 1.11pm and 2.11pm. Return journeys from Mercer Avenue in Aston Lodge are listed at 9.18am, 10.18am, 11.18am, 1.18pm and 2.18pm.
Fares for are £2.00 for those 19 and over, or £1.30 for those 18 and under.
Route Description:
Christchurch Way, Lichfield Street, Lichfield Road, Uttoxeter Road, Aston Lodge Parkway, Mercer Avenue.
Returns Mercer Avenue, Saddler Avenue, Aston Lodge Parkway, Uttoxeter Road, Lichfield Road, Lichfield Street, Stafford Street, Crown Street, Newcastle Street, Station Road,Granville Square, Radford Street, Christchurch Way.
For people on the estate, that means a direct daytime bus link into town.
Other Stone area services also change tomorrow
D&G Bus is also taking over the 102 and 102A from Bennetts Travel, following the award of a Staffordshire County Council contract.
Under the new timetable, the 102 will run hourly between Stone and Yarnfield. Buses will continue every two hours to Swynnerton, and every two hours to Norton Bridge.
The 102A will continue to serve Walton, including Myatt Avenue, keeping a direct link with Stone.
Route Description:
Service 102 journeys via Swynnerton: Christchurch Way, Stafford Street, Stafford Road, Stone Road, Yarnfield Lane, Yarnfield Parkway, Yarnfield Lane, Meece Road, Swynnerton Road, Main Street, Tittensor Road, Stone Road, Newcastle Road, Newcastle Street, Station Road, Granville Square, Radford Street, Christchurch Way.
Service 102 journeys via Norton Bridge: Christchurch Way, Stafford Street, Stafford Road, Stone Road, Yarnfield Lane, Yarnfield Parkway, Yarnfield Lane, Meece Road, Station Road, turns at old station car park, Station Road, Eccleshall Road, Myatt Avenue, Clarke Way, Eccleshall Road, Stafford Road, Stafford Street, Crown Street, Newcastle Street, Station Road, Granville Square, Radford Street, Christchurch Way.
Service 102A: Christchurch Way, Stafford Street, Stafford Road, Eccleshall Road, Myatt Avenue, Clarke Way, Eccleshall Road, Stafford Road, Stafford Street, Crown Street, Newcastle Street, Station Road, Granville Square, Radford Street, Christchurch Way.
Fares for are £2.00 for those 19 and over, or £1.30 for those 18 and under.
Worth checking before you travel
For some people, the routes will look quite familiar.
Walton is still served. Yarnfield is still served. Swynnerton stays in the timetable too.
But the details have shifted, and anyone planning to use the buses from tomorrow would be wise to check the new times before heading out.
That is especially true for passengers travelling beyond Yarnfield, and for anyone in Aston Lodge thinking of trying the new service for the first time.
By this time tomorrow, the new pattern will be up and running. The stops are ready, the timetables are in, and for bus users in this part of Stone, it is about to become part of the everyday view.
4 comments
Colin beardmore
I have contacted D&G . Yes bus p.asses are valid
colin beardmore
Hallelujah .
When the local buses were stopped many years ago it turned the clock back beyond the invention of the bus.
I live on Aston Lodge Park and can remember that when the plan for the development was approved ,easy access to the town was a key feature . This was satisfied by a reliable local bus which ran every 1 5 minutes. There was even a bus service that ran directly to the county hospital .
Probably the bus passes can still be used – the service is within the terms of the government funded scheme isnt it ?
Alan Lowe
At last. The county council stopped Aston Lodge’s previous bus service into Stone within days of my getting a bus pass, so after many years of waiting, I can use local public transport again. Just in time for the fortnight closure of Uttoxeter Road for repairs.
Tony Murphy
This is good, are their concessions for Pensioners and can you use a bus pass?