A new bus service connecting Stone to Rugeley will launch on Tuesday 1 September 2026, replacing the existing service A and extending the route further along the A51 corridor.
The 151 service will run from Stone town centre to Aston Lodge Park, then continue through Burston, Sandon, Weston, Hixon, Great Haywood, Little Haywood and Colwich before reaching Rugeley. The return journey will call at Aston Lodge Park before arriving back in Stone town centre.
Service Frequency and Coverage
The service will operate Monday to Saturday with nine journeys in each direction between just before 9am and 5.30pm. Staffordshire County Council has confirmed that all existing journeys currently provided by service A will be covered by the new 151, meaning passengers who use service A between Stone and Aston Lodge will transfer to the new numbered service. Not every 151 journey will serve Aston Lodge Park, with the timetable showing six journeys in each direction calling there.
Trial Period and Future Plans
The service is being funded by Staffordshire County Council for an initial 12-month trial. Passenger numbers will be monitored during that period, with the future of the route depending on how well it is used.
Andrew Mynors, Staffordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Connectivity, said the new service offers better transport connections for communities along the A51 corridor. "This route hasn't had a regular service for several years and it will be a welcome addition for people of all ages," he said.
Stafford Borough councillor Brendan McKeown, who represents Haywood and Hixon, said: "There are many growing communities and industrial developments along the Trent Valley and so we're pleased the county council has worked with us to launch this 12-month trial service."
The full timetable is available at bustimes.org/services/151-stone-rugeley.
