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Post by wirewiper on Nov 18, 2018 17:05:15 GMT
There are a few Plymouth CityBus timetable changes from Sunday 2nd December, mostly minor, affecting routes 8/9, 27, 40/40A/41/41A, 43, 50/51 and 61/62.
50/51 and 61/62 will not serve Transit Way between 10.00 and 16.00 on Sundays due to increasing traffic congestion.
Route 44/44A/44B is being restructured. On Mondays to Fridays three buses an hour will operate as standard route 44 between the City Centre and Whitleigh. One bus an hour will operate as route 44A, and will operate from Whitleigh via Holly Park (double-run), Ringmore Way, West Park Shops and on to St Budeaux before terminating at Camel's Head and returning via the same route. This restores the link between Holly Park/West Park and St Budeaux that was severed when the 50A/51A were withdrawn back in September.
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Post by wirewiper on Nov 29, 2018 19:06:18 GMT
Target Travel's "country area" routes are continuing with Target Travel (presumably under its new Operating Licence) until 21st December. <snip> Tendered by Devon County Council, to end 21st December, new operator(s) TBC: 49, 55, 56, 87/87A, 89, 94, 98. Of course any or all of these could be retained by Target Travel or its successor under its new Operating Licence. Status yet to be confirmed: 57, 59, 148, PA1, PA2, PA3. Latest news is that Target Travel has been granted a new Operating Licence, and all the routes listed above (most of which are operated under contract to Devon County Council) will be retained by Target Travel under the new licence.
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Post by wirewiper on Dec 6, 2018 18:49:50 GMT
I have changed the title of this thread, and will be covering developments in the Exeter and Torbay areas as well as Plymouth.
I'm not covering North Devon as I don't follow developments in that area.
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Post by wirewiper on Dec 7, 2018 18:25:05 GMT
I've deleted a separate post about service changes in Exeter/Exmouth back in September 2018, I have cut-and-pasted it below. There were also minor timetable changes from 29th October in Torbay to route 12 (Newton Abbot-Brixham), and route 22 (Paignton-Dawlish Warren) gained extra short journeys during Sunday trading hours between Torquay (Castle Circus) and St Marychurch following the seasonal withdrawal of open-top service 122. Also worth noting that 14 new ADL Enviro200 MMCs are currently entering service in Exeter, most appearances so far have been on City routes I/J/K. Older Enviro200s may be cascaded to Torquay or Plymouth to replace Darts. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Service changes in Exeter/Exmouth from Monday 3rd September 2018Stagecoach South West is making changes to some of its services in Exeter and Exmouth. The changes come into effect on Monday 3rd September. Route 5 (Exeter-Crediton): 05.50 Exeter-Crediton and 06.30 Crediton-Exeter both advanced by 5 minutes, to allow the second journey to connect into a route 56 journey towards Exeter Airport. Route 56 (Exeter St David's Station-Exeter Airport-Exmouth): will be rebranded "CONNexIONS" and will use five single-deckers (refurbished Enviro200 MMCs) in a dedicated livery and with free WiFi. Increased to run every 30 minutes Monday-Saturday between Exeter St David's and Exeter Airport, and additional early morning and late evening journeys added to connect with all flights and cater for airport shift workers. Rerouted via Clyst Honiton to serve the Science Park and the new Sky Park near the Airport. Buses to/from Exmouth will continue to run hourly (at revised times), in Exmouth buses will start/terminate at The Parade and will no longer serve the Bus Station. The improvements to route 56 are funded by a partnership of East Devon District Council, East Devon Growth Point and Devon County Council. Route 56B (Exmouth Parade-Hulham-Byron Way): new route replacing part of route 97. Evening journeys operate as route 56E. Route 58 (Exeter-Budleigh Salterton): revised timetable and route; in Exeter all journeys routed via Sowton Business Park and Honiton Road Park & Ride. Incorporates the Bicton College service 57C via Countess Wear; this will be renumbered 58C and will also operate between Budleigh and Exeter during college holidays. Route 97 (Byron Way-Littleham): withdrawn, replaced by route 98 and new routes 56B and 98A. Route 98 (Exmouth-Littleham): new timetable and route to replace parts of route 97. One bus an hour numbered 98A and rerouted in Littleham replacing part of route 97. To interwork with routes 157 (98A) and 357 (98). Routes 157/357 (Exmouth-Budleigh Salterton/Sidmouth): revised timetables with extra running time to improve reliability. Will interwork with services 98/98A to provide links across Exmouth Town Centre and will no longer serve the Bus Station. Route J (Exeter City service: Digby-City-Whipton Barton): funding from the Tithebarn housing development will allow this route to be extended between Whipton Barton and Digby to form a circular route; anti-clockwise journeys will be relettered I. Each route will continue to operate every 20 minutes (30 evenings & Sundays) and to co-ordinate with route K between Pinhoe and Countess Wear. Route K (Exeter City service: Countess Wear-City-Whipton Barton): extended to Exeter Science Park. Routes R/S (Exeter City service: City & Rifford Road circulars): each route reduced from every 12 to every 20 minutes, as there will be more buses on other routes serving Heavitree. www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south-west/changes-to-east-of-exeter-and-east-devon-timetables-from-3-sept-2018
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Post by wirewiper on Dec 8, 2018 17:10:13 GMT
Sadly some less good news in Torquay, where the 60 and 65 bus routes operated by Our Bus Torbay, a subsidiary of the Torbay Community Development Trust (a Community Interest Company) are suspended after today, Saturday 8th December, following unsustainable financial losses and staff and vehicle difficulties. Operation of the 65 in particular had become erratic in recent weeks, with no service at all on some days and only a partial service on others.
Torbay Buses (DJ Watts Coach Travel Ltd.) has registered a partial replacement for route 60. This will commence on Monday 10th December and will operate between Paignton and Occombe/Livermead only, with an hourly service five return journeys on Mondays to Fridays. The first departure from Occombe Farm is at 09.30 and the last bus back from Paignton at 14.30. The section between Livermead, Torquay Town Centre and St Luke's Road will no longer be served.
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Post by wirewiper on Dec 13, 2018 10:53:14 GMT
Christmas and New Year 2018/2019 - buses in South Devon
Christmas Eve, Monday 24th December
- Plymouth CityBus: Monday-Friday service with early finish; last buses around 20.00 - Stagecoach Southwest: Saturday service* with early finish; last buses around 20.30. N21 will not operate.
Christmas Day, Tuesday 25th December
No buses
Boxing Day, Wednesday 26th December
- Plymouth CityBus: no service - Stagecoach Southwest: limited service between around 09.00 and 18.00 on the following routes only: 1 Plymouth-Derriford Hospital-Tavistock, hourly 2/2A Mount Batten/Sherford-Plymouth City Centre-Saltash, every 30 minutes (hourly each route) 5 Exeter-Crediton (Tuckers Close), hourly 9 Exeter-Sidmouth, hourly 12 Newton Abbot-Torquay-Paignton-Brixham, every 20 minutes 21 Barnstaple (Green Lanes)-Bideford Quay, every 30 minutes 57 Exeter-Exmouth & Brixington, every 30 minutes A Alphington-Exeter City Centre- Thornpark Rise, every 20 minutes E Lancelot Road/Savoy Hill-Exeter City Centre-Exwick, every 30 minutes F2 Pinhoe-Exeter City Centre-Exwick, every 30 minutes Falcon Plymouth-Bristol, five return journeys
Thursday 27th and Friday 28th December
- Plymouth CityBus: Monday-Friday service - Stagecoach Southwest: Saturday service* (N21 will not operate on Thursday night/Friday morning)
Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th December
Normal Saturday and Sunday services
New Year's Eve, Monday 31st December
- Plymouth CityBus: Monday-Friday service with early finish; last buses around 20.00
- Stagecoach Southwest: Saturday service* with early finish; last buses around 20.30 except Falcon which will operate until the 01.15 departure from Plymouth and the 05.30 departure from Bristol. N21 will not operate.
New Year's Day, Tuesday 1st January
No services, except Falcon which will operate five return journeys from Plymouth to Bristol.
Normal services from Monday 2nd January.
* Monday-Friday service on Plymouth City Council-contracted routes 13, 17, 18, 19, 31, 32 & 52
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Post by wirewiper on Jan 6, 2019 16:35:40 GMT
Upcoming changes in early 2019:
Stagecoach: route 39 (Exeter-Bovey Tracey-Newton Abbot) will have a new timetable from Monday 7th January, to cater for shift changes at British Ceramics, Heathfield, and generally improve reliability. Somewhat bizarrely, on Monday-Friday one early morning journey will commence from Torquay (at 05.47) and the 18.15 departure from Exeter (19.29 arrival at Newton Abbot) will continue to Torquay. Also on Monday-Friday there is a 07.01 departure from Bovey Tracey that on arrival at Newton Abbot continues as a route 12 journey to Brixham. Route 39 is operated by Torquay Depot and the route has received three E200s cascaded from Exeter, the first E200s to operate out of Torquay.
Dartline: also from Monday 7th January new Monday-Friday route SPR3 will operate from Sowton Park and Ride to The Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital site in Wonford. This supplements the existing Park & Ride between Digby and the Hospital.
Plymouth Citybus: from Sunday 3rd February Sunday-only routes 40A/41A will be withdrawn (EDIT: except Sunday evenings), replaced by new Sunday daytime route 42D (City Centre - Derriford Hospital - Southway) and a half-hourly Sunday daytime service on route 44 serving Whitleigh. A few other routes will have timetable changes, mostly minor retimings to improve punctuality.
Whilst on the subject of Plymouth CityBus, the ex-Go-Ahead London Central Enviro400s are now mostly in service. The centre doors have been retained in use because of the wheelchair ramp. Older Tridents are now leaving the fleet.
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Post by wirewiper on Jan 8, 2019 16:22:56 GMT
Vehicle news: 14 ADL Enviro200 MMCs were delivered to Exeter at the end of 2018, these are primarily for City routes I/J and K although they have appeared on other routes.
Most of the existing Enviro200s have remained at Exeter and route 4/4A (Exeter-Honiton-Axminster) is now operated by the type. However three (36221-3) have moved to Torquay for route 39, becoming the first E200s to be allocated there.
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Post by ADH45258 on Jan 8, 2019 18:13:30 GMT
Vehicle news: 14 ADL Enviro200 MMCs were delivered to Exeter at the end of 2018, these are primarily for City routes I/J and K although they have appeared on other routes. Most of the existing Enviro200s have remained at Exeter and route 4/4A (Exeter-Honiton-Axminster) is now operated by the type. However three (36221-3) have moved to Torquay for route 39, becoming the first E200s to be allocated there. Presumably route T in Exeter will also gain E200MMCs, as it is linked to the J/K services?
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Post by wirewiper on Jan 8, 2019 18:43:58 GMT
Vehicle news: 14 ADL Enviro200 MMCs were delivered to Exeter at the end of 2018, these are primarily for City routes I/J and K although they have appeared on other routes. Most of the existing Enviro200s have remained at Exeter and route 4/4A (Exeter-Honiton-Axminster) is now operated by the type. However three (36221-3) have moved to Torquay for route 39, becoming the first E200s to be allocated there. Presumably route T in Exeter will also gain E200MMCs, as it is linked to the J/K services? It is indeed - route T is essentially an evening and Sunday variant of route K and operates hourly between Whipton Barton and Topsham Quay at these times. There are only occasional journeys during the day on Mondays to Saturdays.
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Post by wirewiper on Feb 24, 2019 13:45:27 GMT
One small change: Tavistock Town Service 89, operated under contract to Devon County Council, passes from Target Travel to Stagecoach from Monday 25th February. Stagecoach has an outstation in Tavistock.
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Post by wirewiper on Mar 3, 2019 12:36:18 GMT
The excellent Plymothan Transit blog reports that Stagecoach has registered several changes, with a start date of 14th April. www.plymothiantransit.com/7/7A: NEW ROUTES between Exeter and Totnes (7) or Torquay (7A) replacing 46 and part of X64. 12/N12 (Newton Abbot-Torquay-Paignton-Brixham): introduction of Summer timetable. Late night journeys introduced on Friday night/Saturday morning and Saturday night/Sunday morning. 22 (South Devon College-Paignton-Torquay-Teignmouth-Dawlish Warren): new timetable with later journey to and from Dawlish Warren daily. 23 (Paignton-White Rock): new timetable with off-peak and Saturday service rerouted via White Rock Way (new housing on outskirts of Paignton) 31 (Torquay-Barton) revised times on Saturday mornings and Sundays 32 (Torquay-Chelston-The Willows): (not mentioned but presumably will be replaced by new 35A/35C) 32 (St Budeaux local service): revised route and timetable. 32C (St Marychurch-Torquay Grammar Schools): incorporated into 35A/35C registration - no change to route or timetable. 34 (Torquay-St Marychurch-The Willows): withdrawn, replaced by 35A/35C 35A/35C: NEW ROUTE: Torquay & The Willows circular, replacing 32 and 34. 46 (Exeter-Torquay): withdrawn, replaced by new route 7A X64 (Exeter-Totnes-Dartmouth): withdrawn, replaced by new route 7 between Exeter and Totnes and by new route 92 between Totnes and Dartmouth. 77: NEW ROUTE Newton Abbot town service between Hele Park and Buckland. Every 30 minutes Monday-Saturday, hourly Sunday. 88/88A/88B (Totnes-Buckfastleigh-Ashburton-Newton Abbot: revised timetable. Withdrawn between Newton Abbot (Town Centre, Sherborne Road) and Buckland, new route 77 provides an alternative service. 92: NEW ROUTE between Totnes and Dartmouth replacing part of X46 and operating to revised times. 110 (Torquay-Totnes school route): afternoon journey retimed. Fox (Paignton-Foxhole Estate): minor timetable changes to morning journeys. Gold (Torquay-Paignton-Totnes-Plymouth): new timetable, incorporating additional Monday-Saturday evening journeys and an extra journey in each direction on Sundays. There is no mention of the Torbay open top 122 service (Babbacombe - Torquay - Paignton) but I would expect it to commence from the same date.
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Post by ADH45258 on Mar 3, 2019 12:56:43 GMT
The excellent Plymothan Transit blog reports that Stagecoach has registered several changes, with a start date of 14th April. www.plymothiantransit.com/7/7A: NEW ROUTES between Exeter and Totnes (7) or Torquay (7A) replacing 46 and part of X64. 12/N12 (Newton Abbot-Torquay-Paignton-Brixham): introduction of Summer timetable. Late night journeys introduced on Friday night/Saturday morning and Saturday night/Sunday morning. 22 (South Devon College-Paignton-Torquay-Teignmouth-Dawlish Warren): new timetable with later journey to and from Dawlish Warren daily. 23 (Paignton-White Rock): new timetable with off-peak and Saturday service rerouted via White Rock Way (new housing on outskirts of Paignton) 31 (Torquay-Barton) revised times on Saturday mornings and Sundays 32 (Torquay-Chelston-The Willows): (not mentioned but presumably will be replaced by new 35A/35C) 32 (St Budeaux local service): revised route and timetable. 32C (St Marychurch-Torquay Grammar Schools): incorporated into 35A/35C registration - no change to route or timetable. 34 (Torquay-St Marychurch-The Willows): withdrawn, replaced by 35A/35C 35A/35C: NEW ROUTE: Torquay & The Willows circular, replacing 32 and 34. 46 (Exeter-Torquay): withdrawn, replaced by new route 7A X64 (Exeter-Totnes-Dartmouth): withdrawn, replaced by new route 7 between Exeter and Totnes and by new route 92 between Totnes and Dartmouth. 77: NEW ROUTE Newton Abbot town service between Hele Park and Buckland. Every 30 minutes Monday-Saturday, hourly Sunday. 88/88A/88B (Totnes-Buckfastleigh-Ashburton-Newton Abbot: revised timetable. Withdrawn between Newton Abbot (Town Centre, Sherborne Road) and Buckland, new route 77 provides an alternative service. 92: NEW ROUTE between Totnes and Dartmouth replacing part of X46 and operating to revised times. 110 (Torquay-Totnes school route): afternoon journey retimed. Fox (Paignton-Foxhole Estate): minor timetable changes to morning journeys. Gold (Torquay-Paignton-Totnes-Plymouth): new timetable, incorporating additional Monday-Saturday evening journeys and an extra journey in each direction on Sundays. There is no mention of the Torbay open top 122 service (Babbacombe - Torquay - Paignton) but I would expect it to commence from the same date. The Dartmouth to Totnes service keeps changing numbers - from 111 to X81 to GOLD to X64 and now 92. I wouldn't be surprised to see the new 92 using SDs now it will not go north of Totnes, especially with the scenic route 3 now using SDs.
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Post by wirewiper on Mar 3, 2019 16:51:27 GMT
<snip> X64 (Exeter-Totnes-Dartmouth): withdrawn, replaced by new route 7 between Exeter and Totnes and by new route 92 between Totnes and Dartmouth. <snip> 92: NEW ROUTE between Totnes and Dartmouth replacing part of X46 and operating to revised times. <snip> Gold (Torquay-Paignton-Totnes-Plymouth): new timetable, incorporating additional Monday-Saturday evening journeys and an extra journey in each direction on Sundays. <snip> The Dartmouth to Totnes service keeps changing numbers - from 111 to X81 to GOLD to X64 and now 92. I wouldn't be surprised to see the new 92 using SDs now it will not go north of Totnes, especially with the scenic route 3 now using SDs. The X81 was a variant of First Devon's X80 (Torquay-Plymouth). When Stagecoach introduced Gold on 30th September 2013 it was initially in direct competition with the X80/X81 and operated to the same frequencies - half-hourly Torquay to Totnes then hourly alternately to Dartmouth or Plymouth. First threw in the towel and withdrew the X80 and X81 four weeks later. Strong growth on the Plymouth leg, coupled with lower demand to and from Dartmouth, led to Stagecoach restructuring the Gold to run half-hourly between Torquay and Plymouth from 6th September 2015 - this coincided with Stagecoach taking over First's Plymouth depot and most of its routes, and Stagecoach took advantage of this to outstation a couple of Gold buses there, with Plymouth drivers operating a few journeys (previously the route had be operated entirely by Torquay). The Totnes-Dartmouth service was covered by extending the X64 to Dartmouth, albeit at a less-than-hourly frequency. Like you, I would not be surprised if the new 92 was single-decked. It will probably be operated by the Dartmouth outstation, which I believe is operationally under Plymouth and was acquired from First at the same time.
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Post by busaholic on Mar 3, 2019 23:10:28 GMT
These changes don't appear on the surface to be general cutbacks, particularly with more and later evening journeys on some routes, more the result of worsening traffic conditions, or am I missing something?
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