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Post by wirewiper on Feb 28, 2024 8:10:51 GMT
Spring service changes are starting to trickle through. Transport for Cornwall is co-ordinating all changes for Sunday 31st March (Easter Sunday), the start of the Summer period timetable. Plymouth services affected include 10 (Looe and Polperro), 11 (Bodmin and Padstow) and 12/12A (Launceston and Bude), which all have revised timetables with increased running time at peak periods. Evening journeys on 11 and 12 will divert via the Latchbrook area of Saltash, replacing the evening service on Stagecoach 2A which was withdrawn last September. 71 (Derriford Hospital-Saltash) has a revised timetable with more running time during the peaks, which unfortunately means a 65-minute frequency at some times. 70/70A/70B (Torpoint & Rame Peninsula) go to an hourly frequency on Sundays for the Summer. www.plymouthbus.co.uk/TFC-update-31st-march
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Post by markc166 on Feb 29, 2024 19:25:12 GMT
Huge amount of variations going through for Stagecoach across Devon. Any ideas re changes in Plymouth please? I note 1/1a says Plymouth to Tavistock via Mutley, no mention of the Plymstock/Sherford end? Also notice Stagecoach seem to have picked up the contract for Beach bus from Plymouth to Bovisand this summer!
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Post by wirewiper on Mar 1, 2024 8:22:58 GMT
Huge amount of variations going through for Stagecoach across Devon. Any ideas re changes in Plymouth please? I note 1/1a says Plymouth to Tavistock via Mutley, no mention of the Plymstock/Sherford end? Also notice Stagecoach seem to have picked up the contract for Beach bus from Plymouth to Bovisand this summer! Not yet - I'm waiting until I see official information, rather than speculating on what might be. The Stagecoach website is still showing the January changes.
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Post by gwiwer on Mar 1, 2024 14:30:08 GMT
Not within South Devon but there are significant changes from 30th March in Cornwall also. Mostly gains on paper but the fusion of the already often-delayed Penzance / St. Ives - Truro "Tinner" T1 / T2 with the 27 Truro - St. Austell to form on lengthy route begs questions. Many years ago as the 18 this route did run through from St. Austell to Penzance but that was given up as unreliable in the 1970s. Fifty years later matters have not improved. It is not uncommon to find these buses which are timed at 15-minute intervals over the long common section between Truro and Hayle to be bunched two or three together after an interval of up to an hour.
Some T2 buses are to be rerouted via Gwithian as T2A; that area has several large holiday camps and they will replace the Sunseeker route of recent years. This adds at least 10 minutes to the overall time, 20 if they also incorporate the Hayle Towans double run (also to holiday camps) and means they cannot serve Connor Downs thereby reducing service to that village.
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Post by wirewiper on Mar 11, 2024 13:34:08 GMT
Stagecoach changes in MarchFrom Sunday 24th March: 92 (Totnes-Dartmouth) - revised timetable. Rerouted via Dartmouth Park & Ride on Mondays to Saturdays when the dedicated P&R route 91 is not operating (until Saturday 25th May and from Monday 16th September), with additional hourly short journeys between Dartmouth Pontoon and P&R. 95 (Sandy Bay-Exmouth) - Amended to operate non-stop between Littleham Cross and Exmouth Pavilion, routes 97 and 357 provide alternative services. New hourly timetable for the 2024 season, including Saturday and Sunday services reintroduced until 2nd November. An enhanced 30-minute frequency will operate daily between 26th May and 31st August. 122 (Devon Bay-Paignton Bus Station) - partial reintroduction for 2024 season, with a shuttle service operating every 40 minutes daily. The service between Paignton and Babbacombe is not being introduced at this time due to the major public realm works at Torquay Strand, which will cause major disruption until early July. From Sunday 31st March: 17 (Brixham Town Service) and 18 (Brixham-Kingswear) - minor changes to Monday-Saturday times. Improved Sunday service with eight return journeys on each route, operated under contract to Torbay Council. The Sunday 17 will operate to the same route as the Monday-Saturday service, with no separate 17a. 60 (Paignton-Occombe Farm) - Torbay Council Contract transferred from Torbay Buses to Stagecoach. Operates hourly Monday-Friday, departs Paignton (Hyde Road) hourly from 09.00 to 14.00. There are a number of service changes due throughout Plymouth and Devon from 14th April for Stagecoach, Plymouth CityBus and smaller operators. The Stagecoach changes are now appearing on the Stagecoach website. www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south-west/south-west-timetables
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Post by wirewiper on Mar 19, 2024 19:00:45 GMT
Torbay Buses is making changes to its services from 1st April, in conjunction with Torbay Council which supports all the routes financially. Most routes will have revised timetables and some will have Sunday services for the first time. All the new timetables commence on Tuesday 2nd April. Route 60 (Paignton - Occombe Farm) has been reassigned to Stagecoach from this date, but Torbay Buses will take on routes 61 (Torquay - St Lukes Road & Occombe Farm) and 65 (Torquay - Quinta Road - The Willows) which are currently operated by Our Bus Torbay. The days of operation for the 61 (M/W/F) and 65 (Tu/Th/Sa) remain the same for now and the timetables are very similar. Other changes: Route 25 (Youngs Park - Paignton - Morrison's): revised to operate from Morrison's via Youngs park then in a one-way loop around Paignton. From Morrison's buses operate the current route to Dartmouth Road, then both directions via Whitstone Road, Roundham Road, Braeside Road, Alta Vista Road, Roundham Road; then a one-way loop via Esplanade Road, Marine Drive, Manor Road, Torquay Road, Hyde Road, Paignton Library, Dartmouth Road and Sands Road back to Roundham Road then as outward. New timetable Route 62 (Parkhill Road - Torquay - Cockington): extended loop in Chelston taking in Drake Avenue, Hawkins Avenue, Sherwell Valley Road, Sherwell Rise South and Highland Road. Also operates to and from Hesketh Crescent in Meadfoot. Revised timetable including new Saturday and limited Sunday services. Route 64 (Torquay Castle Circus - Middle Warberry Road): revised timetable with improved Monday-Friday service and new limited Sunday service. Route 108/109 (Paignton - Great Parks): new timetable with widened headways and increased running time to improve reliability. New Sunday service. Torbay Buses also has a redesigned website which includes the new timetables and route maps. Two printed area guides (one for Torquay and one for Paignton) will also be available on buses, these include the SB1-SB6 Sainsbury shoppers services. iai678.wixsite.com/torquaydemo
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Post by wirewiper on Mar 21, 2024 18:22:37 GMT
Plymouth CityBus changes from Sunday 14th April:
Routes 5/5A, 16, 33, 35/35A, 42/42A/42B/42C, 43, 44 have timetable changes to improve reliability. 8/9 (Efford & Laira): new timetable to improve punctuality. Saturday services increased, up to every 15 minutes. 23/24 (Mount Gould): new timetable to improve reliability. Some inbound journeys on Saturday rerouted via Tothill Road and Exeter Street to avoid congestion on Ebrington Street. 28: 'new' service, mostly replacing the Eggbuckland section of 60/61 (see below). Buses will run hourly between City Centre and Derriford Hospital via Henders Corner, Deer Park, Culver Way, Charfield Drive, Miles Mitchell and The Ship with most journeys continuing to George Park & Ride. 34 (Derriford via Devonport): new timetable and revised service patterns to improve reliability. 50/51 (Derriford circulars): new timetable to improve reliability. 50 will omit the Crownhill loop working, operating directly via Budshead Way to join the A386. 60/61 (Transit Way circulars): withdrawn in their current form. Route 61 will be revised to operate in both directions between City Centre and Transit Way via Honicknowle. On Saturday daytimes buses will terminate at West Park (Coombe Park Lane) to avoid congestion at Transit Way. The Eggbuckland section is mostly covered by 'new' route 28 (see above). www.plymouthbus.co.uk/plymouth-service-changes-14th-april-2024Stagecoach service changes in and around Plymouth from Sunday 14th April:1 (Plymouth-Tavistock): new timetable to improve reliability. 1a (Sherford-George Park & Ride): new timetable. In the Derriford area buses will operate via William Prance Drive and Brest Road. 4/4a/4b/4c (Plymouth-Plymstock): revised timetable to improve punctuality and new route in Plymstock to serve new housing development at Saltram Meadow. Buses will operate via The Ride, Killerton Lane, Halecombe Road, Coscombe Circus, Ashcombe Street and Broxton Drive. 30/31 (City Centre-Peverell): route change due to problems with parked vehicles. Buses will no longer serve Connaught Avenue, Belgrave Road, Penlee Way and Ashford Way but will serve Alexandra Avenue. 52 (Derriford Hospital-Plympton): revised timetable and minor route change in Derriford to improve reliability. 86/89 (Tavistock local services): revised timetable to improve punctuality. Gold (Plymouth-Paignton): revised timetable to improve reliability. Between Sherford and Ivybridge buses will be rerouted off the A38 to serve Lee Mill.
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Post by wirewiper on Mar 22, 2024 10:34:35 GMT
Stagecoach changes in Devon from Sunday 14th April
Stagecoach will be making a number of timetable changes from this date. These are largely to improve reliability, and in some cases frequencies are being adjusted to match demand more closely. According to Stagecoach South West Managing Director Peter Knight: ‘We look forward to being able to offer more robust timetables for our customers this spring. It has become increasingly challenging to be able to run our services reliably with multiple roadworks and congestion related delays. Roadworks and the performance of the highway are now the biggest challenge to us being able to provide reliable bus services in Devon. We are working closely with our partners at Devon County Council to try and improve this for customers travelling in the region.’ www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south-west/south-west-timetables Routes with timing changes only are: A, E1/E2, H, I/J, R/S. Green, 4, 4A, 5/5A/5C, 6, 6A, 11A/11C, 21/21A/21C, X30, 44/44A, 58/58A, 71, 85, 97, 98/98A, 157/357, 343, 346, 348/349, 352/353, 358. More substantial changes:B (Science Park-Exminster): new Monday-Saturday evening journeys introduced between Science Park and Matford Park & Ride. Other timing changes to improve punctuality. F (Cowley Bridge-Summerway): revised to run every 70 minutes. Simplified route, with all buses operating via Beacon Heath, a one-way loop via Savoy Hill then Summerway and back to Beacon Heath. Journeys will no longer operate along Pinhoe Road. P (Crossmead-Pennsylvania): revised route in St Thomas/Crossmead. From St Thomas Station buses will operate a one-way loop via Cowick Street, Dunsford Road, Barley Lane, Barley Farm Road, Berkshire Drive, Charnley Avenue, Isleworth Road, Buddle Lane, Okehampton Road and Buller Road. Daytime frequency reduced to every 35-40 minutes to ensure the service can be operated reliably. 1 (Exeter-Cullompton-Tiverton): new timetable, with additional buses between Exeter and Cullompton up to every 15 minutes. Half the service will run as route 1A between Exeter and Cullompton, via the B3183 and Swallow Way in Cullompton. On Sundays route 1 will operate hourly between Exeter and Cullompton, with alternate buses continuing to Tiverton as route 373. 9/9A (Exeter-Sidmouth-Honiton/Seaton): revised timetable to improve punctuality. Within Exeter, buses will operate via Moor Lane and Honiton Road instead of Sidmouth Road, new stops will be located in Moor Lane. Route Green provides an alternative service along Sidmouth Road. 24: new service between Tiverton and Silk Mill Park & Ride, Taunton; effectively the positioning journeys for the Taunton Park & Ride made 'live'. 55/355 (Exeter-Tiverton): revised times to improve reliability. Monday-Saturday departures from Exeter at 20.00, 21.30 and 23.00 will operate additionally via Silverton. 57 (Exeter-Brixington): Revised to operate between Exeter and Exmouth (Parade) only, although early morning and evening journeys will continue to and from Brixington as new service 99 (see below). Monday-Saturday daytime frequency will be standardised to every 20 minutes. 96 (Exmouth-Lympstone): revised route, from Hulham Road, buses will operate in both directions via Jubilee Drive (part-replacing 57) and Dinan Way to the Byron Way loop, continuing via present route (Hulham Road) to Mount Pleasant Drive. Revised timetable to improve reliability. 99: new route between Exmouth (Rolle Street) and Brixington, operating in a loop via most of the existing 57 route (see above) but omitting Lime Grove, Spiders Lane and part of Jubilee Drive. Jubilee Drive will be served by amended route 96 (see above). Buses will operate every 20 minutes Monday-Saturday daytimes, every 30 minutes Sunday daytimes and hourly during evenings. 155 (Barnstaple-South Molton): route restructured to serve new housing developments in Barnstaple at Pottington and Northfield Park, and Honeymead Meadow in South Molton. New timetable. 173 (Exeter-Moretonhampstead): revised timetable to improve reliability. In Exeter City Centre buses will operate direct via High Street and will no longer operate via New North Road and Queen Street. 178 (Newton Abbot-Whiddon Down): Country Bus already operates daytime journeys on route 178 between Newton Abbot and Moretonhampstead/Okehampton and these are unchanged. Stagecoach has been awarded a contract to operate additional peak time journeys between Newton Abbot/Bovey Tracey and Whiddon Down from 15th April; these will connect at Whiddon Down with route 6A journeys to and from Okehampton and Exeter. 360 (Exeter-Bridford): revised timetable to improve reliability. In Exeter City Centre buses will operate direct via High Street and will no longer operate via New North Road and Queen Street. All journeys from Exeter will serve Christow first, then Bridford. 373 (Tiverton-Cullompton): revised timetable to improve reliability. New two-hourly Sunday service introduced with most journeys continuing to and from Exeter as route 1.
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Post by wirewiper on Mar 22, 2024 15:15:08 GMT
Devon service changes March/April 2024 - smaller operators.
A few of Devon's smaller operators are also bringing in service changes. Most coincide with the Stagecoach and Plymouth CityBus changes on Sunday 14th April, but a couple are scheduled for March. From Sunday 31st March: 218/219 (Hartland-Bude, Go Cornwall Bus): revised timetable - this route is part of the Transport for Cornwall network. Exmoor Coaster (Blue Anchor-Lynmouth, Buses of Somerset): service resumes for the 2024 season, initially three journeys each way daily with an uplift due from 25th May. From Sunday 14th April: PR3/SPR3 (Digby & Sowton Park & Ride sites and RDE Hospital, Dartline): revised timetable with SPR3 withdrawn. 25 (Taunton-Dulverton, Buses of Somerset): revised timetable 171 & 172: New cross-Dartmoor routes operated by Country Bus. These operate Mondays to Saturdays until 2nd November and largely replace First South West's Dartmoor Explorer which is not operating this year. A single bus + driver operates both routes each day. 171 operates Newton Abbot - Bovey Tracey - Moretonhampstead - Postbridge - Two Bridges - Princetown - Tavistock. Departs Newton Abbot at 09.05 and returns from Tavistock at 15.05. 172 operates Tavistock - Princetown - Two Bridges - Dartmeet - Ashburton - Newton Abbot. Departs Tavistock at 10.55 and returns from Newton Abbot at 13.30. 178 (Newton Abbot-Okehampton, Country Bus & Stagecoach): the existing Monday-Saturday daytime journeys between Newton Abbot and Moretonhampstead/Okehampton operated by Country Bus are unchanged. From Monday 15th April Stagecoach has been contracted to operate additional Monday-Friday peak-time journeys between Newton Abbot/Bovey Tracey and Whiddon Down, connecting at Whiddon Down with route 6A journeys to and from Okehampton and Exeter. Devon County Council has produced a composite 178 timetable showing all journeys and connections. 325 (Lapford-Barnstaple, Country Bus [Tu/F] / Taw & Torridge [Th]): will operate additionally on Mondays & Wednesdays, additional days contracted to Country Bus. 347 (Cheriton Fitzpaine-Crediton, Dartline): Friday service withdrawn, will only operate Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. 381 (Ottery St Mary town service, Dartline): Monday service withdrawn, will only operate on Thursdays. 607 (Crediton town service, Dartline): Friday service withdrawn, will only operate on Tuesdays. www.traveldevon.info/bus/latest-news-service-updates/Finally, the 271 'Haytor Hoppa' (Newton Abbot-Widecombe-in-the-Moor, Country Bus) resumes on Saturday 25th May and runs on Saturdays only until 14th September. countrybusdevon.co.uk/271-haytor-hoppa-newton-abbot-widecombe-via-bovey-tracey/
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Post by wirewiper on Mar 22, 2024 19:08:47 GMT
Devon operators (and operators in the South West generally) will be the beneficiaries of around 30% of the ZEBRA2 funding awards which have just been announced. Torbay Council has been awarded £7.1 million towards 49 electric vehicles, which will replace a significant portion of the Stagecoach South West fleet locally. Routes 12 and 22 have been cited and these would account for around 30 of the total. Plymouth City Council was awarded £9.5 million for 50 electric vehicles, these are all expected to be double-deckers for Plymouth CityBus. Five will be allocated to Transport for Cornwall services between Plymouth and Rame Peninsula which are operated by Plymouth CityBus from its Milehouse Depot. Cornwall Council has also been awarded £1.3 million for eight electric vehicles in its own right. Devon County Council has been awarded £5.3 million for 41 electric vehicles, these will be ordered by Stagecoach South West for services in Exeter (4/4A, A and Green) and Barnstaple (21/21A/21C and Barnstaple town routes). This award was part of the funding that was ringfenced for rural services. Elsewhere in the South West, Somerset has funding of £2.2 million for 13 single deckers and 12 double deckers that will be ioperated by Buses of Somerset from Taunton, whilst North Somerset Council has funding of £2.1 million for 24 double-deckers to be operated by First West of England from Weston-super-Mare. Both these awards are from the ringenced rural funding. West of England Mayoral Combined Authority has funding of £6.6 million for 67 double-deckers and 7 single-deckers at its Hengrove Depot in Bristol which will become a fully-electric depot; these will replace elderly Volvos on the cross-city routes 24, 75 and 76 and Streetlites on Clifton route 8. Gloucestershire County Council has ringfenced rural funding of £5.9 million for 58 vehicles, and Wiltshire has £3.4 million for 23 electric vehicles to be operated by Salisbury Reds (part of Go-Ahead). All details courtesy of the route-one.net website.www.route-one.net/news/government-announces-143m-zebra-2-funding-allocations/www.route-one.net/news/operators-and-authorities-detail-zebra-2-plans/
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Post by wirewiper on Mar 24, 2024 9:32:52 GMT
After all the excitement about funding for electric buses, some more prosaic vehicle news. Go North West has sent nine mid-life ADL Enviro200s down to Plymouth, they are 4011-4019 and are currently in blue-and-orange "Orbits"-branded livery. All are B39F. Their intended use is not known at this stage but Plymouth CityBus is still operating a number of elderly Enviro200s in daily service. 4011 - SK15 GXZ 4012- SN16 OGU 4013 - YY16 YJV 4014 - YY66 PCU 4015 - YY66 PCV 4016 - YY66 PDO 4017 - YY66 PDU 4018 - YY66 PFJ 4019 - YY66 PFK Source: www.plymothiantransit.com/2024/03/north-west-to-south-west.html
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Post by wirewiper on Mar 28, 2024 18:55:46 GMT
A nice tribute to Our Bus Torbay and its volunteer drivers, who bow out today after keeping 'lifeline' routes 61 and 65 running in Torquay for the past six years. Following improved funding by Torbay Council, the future of the routes has now been secured and they have been awarded to commercial operator Torbay Buses from Tuesday 2nd April. Initially the services will operate on the same days and to very similar times. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-68668592
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Post by MetrolineGA1511 on Apr 2, 2024 8:48:33 GMT
After all the excitement about funding for electric buses, some more prosaic vehicle news. Go North West has sent nine mid-life ADL Enviro200s down to Plymouth, they are 4011-4019 and are currently in blue-and-orange "Orbits"-branded livery. All are B39F. Their intended use is not known at this stage but Plymouth CityBus is still operating a number of elderly Enviro200s in daily service. 4011 - SK15 GXZ 4012- SN16 OGU 4013 - YY16 YJV 4014 - YY66 PCU 4015 - YY66 PCV 4016 - YY66 PDO 4017 - YY66 PDU 4018 - YY66 PFJ 4019 - YY66 PFK Source: www.plymothiantransit.com/2024/03/north-west-to-south-west.htmlAs Go North West had some 12 reg Eclipses ex Plymouth, I wonder whether these are returning to the South West now?
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Post by wirewiper on Apr 10, 2024 8:24:47 GMT
After all the excitement about funding for electric buses, some more prosaic vehicle news. Go North West has sent nine mid-life ADL Enviro200s down to Plymouth, they are 4011-4019 and are currently in blue-and-orange "Orbits"-branded livery. All are B39F. Their intended use is not known at this stage but Plymouth CityBus is still operating a number of elderly Enviro200s in daily service. 4011 - SK15 GXZ 4012- SN16 OGU 4013 - YY16 YJV 4014 - YY66 PCU 4015 - YY66 PCV 4016 - YY66 PDO 4017 - YY66 PDU 4018 - YY66 PFJ 4019 - YY66 PFK Source: www.plymothiantransit.com/2024/03/north-west-to-south-west.htmlThese are to be numbered 2460-2468 in the Plymouth CityBus fleet, and will replace 134 and 161-168 which are the oldest Enviro200s in passenger service. Some are likely to be retained as driver trainers, allowing the Mercedes Citaros to be withdrawn.
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Post by wirewiper on Apr 11, 2024 17:45:35 GMT
Gunnislake Bridge will be closed between the peaks on Wednesday 10th, Thursday 11th and Friday 12th April, to allow emergency repair works to take place. During the closures Go Cornwall Bus route 79 will be suspended between Gunnislake Station and Tavistock.
An emergency shuttle service 79A will operate between Callington and Tavistock. This will operate via the A388 and Milton Abbot, picking up the regular route at Gulworthy.
Further closures will take place later in the year to allow more permanent repairs and strengthening. The narrow single-lane bridge carries the only main road (A390) crossing the River Tamar between Saltash and Launceston, and is frequently damaged by heavy vehicles.
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