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Post by wirewiper on Mar 27, 2023 7:37:36 GMT
Some late changes coming through ahead of next week's changes commencing Sunday 2nd April.
Plymouth CityBus:
11 (Plymouth-Padstow) - changes to timetable to improve train connections at Bodmin Parkway Station.
20 (Ivybridge Estates-Plymouth) - at the request of Devon County Council this route will be amended to operate via the A38 and Embankment Road from 2nd April and will no longer operate via Sherford. Stagecoach Gold will be providing the link through Sherford from this date.
72 (Plymouth-Polperro) - minor timetable changes. The first morning journey from Polperro will omit Hannafore (Looe) as no passengers are joining the bus there.
Stagecoach:
122 - Torbay seasonal open-top service reintroduced from Sunday 2nd April. Initially the service will operate hourly every day between Devon Bay Holiday Park (Paignton) and Babbacombe Downs. This year the route will not operate via Paignton Seafront in either direction as Torbay Road is now closed to through traffic.
Tally Ho:
160 (Kingsbridge Town Service) & 162 (Loddiswell-Hope Cove) - contracts retained by Tally Ho, will have revised timetables from Monday 3rd April. On route 160 the 08.35 and 11.35 trips will no longer operate.
612 (Mothecombe-Lee Mill, Tu) and 875 (Bigbury-on-Sea - Plymouth, F) - these once-a-week shoppers services will no longer operate after Friday 31st March. Oakley's Coaches will provide a partial replacement from Tuesday 11th April, route 875 operating on Tuesdays between Bigbury-on-Sea and Modbury, then via Ermington to Ivybridge and Lee Mill Tesco.
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Post by gwiwer on Mar 27, 2023 17:11:49 GMT
Tally Ho: 160 (Kingsbridge Town Service) & 162 (Loddiswell-Hope Cove) - contracts retained by Tally Ho, will have revised timetables from Monday 3rd April. On route 160 the 08.35 and 11.35 trips will no longer operate. And the Saturday service is withdrawn making it a one-driver-one-bus operation. The Bigbury-on-Sea route 875 used to be much more frequent. It does suffer from two lengthy and time-consuming but essential double-runs to serve some isolated settlements one of which, Challaborough, is within walking distance of the Bigbury-on-Sea turning point. In Western National days it extended through to Plymouth several times each weekday but in reality most of what little traffic there is wants Kingsbridge which has always required a change of bus in Modbury. More could have been made of that route. It was never going to be commercial but running it to an out-of-town supoermarket miles from where people want to be doesn't seem to make much sense. Use the time to take it into Kingsbridge. Or is that too easy?
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Post by wirewiper on Mar 27, 2023 18:00:03 GMT
Tally Ho: 160 (Kingsbridge Town Service) & 162 (Loddiswell-Hope Cove) - contracts retained by Tally Ho, will have revised timetables from Monday 3rd April. On route 160 the 08.35 and 11.35 trips will no longer operate. And the Saturday service is withdrawn making it a one-driver-one-bus operation. The Bigbury-on-Sea route 875 used to be much more frequent. It does suffer from two lengthy and time-consuming but essential double-runs to serve some isolated settlements one of which, Challaborough, is within walking distance of the Bigbury-on-Sea turning point. In Western National days it extended through to Plymouth several times each weekday but in reality most of what little traffic there is wants Kingsbridge which has always required a change of bus in Modbury. More could have been made of that route. It was never going to be commercial but running it to an out-of-town supoermarket miles from where people want to be doesn't seem to make much sense. Use the time to take it into Kingsbridge. Or is that too easy? I think that part of the South Hams would be better served by some form of DRT (Demand Responsive Transport) connecting into the main Kingswear-Plymouth route, probably at Modbury. I also think there is better scope to have a timed interchange at Kingsbridge. The 164 north and south journeys already meet there. The 3 could be retimed to connect in and out, whilst the 93 could be operated as a separate service and extended from Dartmouth to Totnes via the 92 route.
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Post by gwiwer on Mar 27, 2023 21:00:01 GMT
I think that part of the South Hams would be better served by some form of DRT (Demand Responsive Transport) connecting into the main Kingswear-Plymouth route, probably at Modbury. I also think there is better scope to have a timed interchange at Kingsbridge. The 164 north and south journeys already meet there. The 3 could be retimed to connect in and out, whilst the 93 could be operated as a separate service and extended from Dartmouth to Totnes via the 92 route. There already is a form of DRT in the area. Two of the few surviving Fare Car operations cover Bigbury; one to Modbury and one to Kingsbridge, each weekly. The fact that they have survived when most Fare Cars are just a memory suggests there is more demand for such routes than might be apparent when only around seven seats a week (and on a pre-booked basis) are available. Kingsbridge traditionally was a meeting place of buses and something of an interchange. There was a need to reduce the congestion around the bus station there which has been addressed by also reducing costs in having the 164 and 606 combined into a single route. The marginal town routes and remaining village buses are very much run on the basis of school needs and / or fitting between school contracts. Bantham lost its bus years ago in part because the turning space was inadequate for anything larger than a Mercedes 608 but also because it wasn't being used. Hope and Thurlestone were combined into one route at that time. The Mothecombe bus serves very few homes indeed and of those it does pass most are on or within a short stroll of the 94 journey which deviates that way. So no real loss to the community there. It is the villages of Bigbury, Bigbury-on-Sea, Ringmore, Kingston and Challaborough (the latter more of a caravan site) which stand to lose most and which could gain most if they had a direct bus into Kingsbridge. The small amount of traffic (and in my experience it has always been very small indeed) wanting Plymouth can use the 3 with a half-decent connection. Fares are probably immaterial; I suspect most users are on passes anyway. It's worth remembering that the Bigbury area is also a modest tourist attraction with Burgh Island just offshore. It is also on the South West Coast Path and a natural start / end point for a day's walk as to cross the Riven Avon requires use of the very infrequent ferry or a 10-mile walk round via Aveton Gifford. More could be done especially if some BSIP money were available.
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Post by wirewiper on Mar 29, 2023 17:32:49 GMT
I think that part of the South Hams would be better served by some form of DRT (Demand Responsive Transport) connecting into the main Kingswear-Plymouth route, probably at Modbury. I also think there is better scope to have a timed interchange at Kingsbridge. The 164 north and south journeys already meet there. The 3 could be retimed to connect in and out, whilst the 93 could be operated as a separate service and extended from Dartmouth to Totnes via the 92 route. There already is a form of DRT in the area. Two of the few surviving Fare Car operations cover Bigbury; one to Modbury and one to Kingsbridge, each weekly. The fact that they have survived when most Fare Cars are just a memory suggests there is more demand for such routes than might be apparent when only around seven seats a week (and on a pre-booked basis) are available. Kingsbridge traditionally was a meeting place of buses and something of an interchange. There was a need to reduce the congestion around the bus station there which has been addressed by also reducing costs in having the 164 and 606 combined into a single route. The marginal town routes and remaining village buses are very much run on the basis of school needs and / or fitting between school contracts. Bantham lost its bus years ago in part because the turning space was inadequate for anything larger than a Mercedes 608 but also because it wasn't being used. Hope and Thurlestone were combined into one route at that time. The Mothecombe bus serves very few homes indeed and of those it does pass most are on or within a short stroll of the 94 journey which deviates that way. So no real loss to the community there. It is the villages of Bigbury, Bigbury-on-Sea, Ringmore, Kingston and Challaborough (the latter more of a caravan site) which stand to lose most and which could gain most if they had a direct bus into Kingsbridge. The small amount of traffic (and in my experience it has always been very small indeed) wanting Plymouth can use the 3 with a half-decent connection. Fares are probably immaterial; I suspect most users are on passes anyway. It's worth remembering that the Bigbury area is also a modest tourist attraction with Burgh Island just offshore. It is also on the South West Coast Path and a natural start / end point for a day's walk as to cross the Riven Avon requires use of the very infrequent ferry or a 10-mile walk round via Aveton Gifford. More could be done especially if some BSIP money were available. That's a good sum-up of an area that I don't really know, apart from travelling on the 3/93 occasionally and one trip on the 164 after it was extended to Salcombe (should do another one now it is £2 each way). Devon did propose better links for the South Hams including a new service between Bigbury and Ivybridge to connect with trains, but the BSIP award was considerably less than Devon had bid for, and Plymouth and Torbay got nothing.
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Post by gwiwer on Mar 29, 2023 21:19:32 GMT
That's a good sum-up of an area that I don't really know, apart from travelling on the 3/93 occasionally and one trip on the 164 after it was extended to Salcombe (should do another one now it is £2 each way). Devon did propose better links for the South Hams including a new service between Bigbury and Ivybridge to connect with trains, but the BSIP award was considerably less than Devon had bid for, and Plymouth and Torbay got nothing. WN did run a Bigbury-on-Sea to Ivybridge service for a time. It served both the town centre and the railway station in Ivybridge but the near-total lack of patronage shows why that link is really not necessary. Yet Devon CC have chosen to persist with it whilst losing others and not offering improved connections to Modbury or Kingsbridge.
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Post by wirewiper on Mar 31, 2023 9:31:28 GMT
Stagecoach South West is changing the pricing structure for Dayrider tickets from Sunday 2nd April. There are considerable increases to the price of day tickets bought individually, but app-based Flexi ticket bundles will be available for all areas including the network-wide Explorer. Flexi5 will offer five tickets for the price of four and Flexi10 will offer ten tickets for the price of seven. The Plymouth Inner and Outer Zones will be combined into a single Plymouth Zone. The Plymouth Plus Zone will be unchanged. Single and return fares are not changing and of course passengers can take advantage of the £2 single fare cap until 30th June. www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south-west/bus-fares-from-2nd-april-2023
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Post by wirewiper on Apr 17, 2023 17:22:46 GMT
Go Devon Bus has cancelled the registrations for routes 315, 345 and 377 from Exeter to Barnstaple, Okehampton and Chulmleigh respectively, effective 5th June. It is not clear if the routes are being re-tendered, or simply transferred to fellow Go South West subsidiary Dartline which has a base in the Exeter area.
The routes commenced on 31st October last year and replaced the tendered sections of routes 5A/5B/5C, which Stagecoach surrendered due to its severe driver shortage at the time.
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Post by gwiwer on Apr 17, 2023 20:34:17 GMT
It would appear that the convenience of having some key long-distance routes through mid-Devon which offset some lightly-used sections against better patronage in other areas is being lost in favour of a return to purely local routes for local people. The 155 Exeter - Barnstaple has already gone and been broken into three disconnected local routes. The one-time Exeter - Bude route which has been run by a number of operators under different numbers since rail closure (but which might be best remembered as Jennings of Bude route 629) is also broken. The bold move by Western Greyhound to create a viable Exeter - North Cornwall link (their 510) via Launceston and Camelford to Newquay is also long gone.
Rural bus operation is not a profitable business and relies almost entirely on some level of revenue support, although Stagecoach managed some commercial operations, but those longer routes offered far more journey opportunities than a more localised route can ever do.
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Post by wirewiper on Apr 23, 2023 13:26:20 GMT
There will be some timetable changes to Stagecoach services in Torbay and Newton Abbot from Sunday 28th May, including the 7 and 39 routes to Exeter, although no major route changes appear to be in the offing.
The 12 (Newton Abbot-Torquay-Paignton-Brixham) appears to be gaining a late-night service, with additional departures from Newton Abbot at 00.02, 01.02 and 02.02 and from Brixham at 00.04, 01.04, 02.04 and 03.04 (to Torquay only) on all nights except Sundays and Public holidays.
The 271 Summer-only "Haytor Hoppa" is reverting to its old format and will no longer be operated off the Newton Abbot-Bovey Tracey shorts on the 39. Commencing on 6th June it will operate four journeys on Saturdays from Newton Abbot to Bovey Tracey, then a circular route via Haytor Vale, Widecombe-in-the-Moor and Manaton back to Bovey Tracey and Newton Abbot. Most journeys will extenned to and from Newton Abbot railway station. This year the service will be operated by Stagecoach.
In the same area, routes 174 and 184 (Newton Abbot-The Willows/Teignmouth) will transfer from Dartline to Country Bus from Saturday 6th June, with revised times. These routes are interworked, using a single vehicle.
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Post by wirewiper on May 6, 2023 9:11:42 GMT
Stagecoach Scania/ADL Enviro400 MMC 15322 has been repainted in a commemorative livery for the Coronation of King Charles III. It was unveiled on 28th April and has entered service on route 12 at Torquay. Photo of 15322 at Sherborne Road, Newton Abbot (not mine): flic.kr/p/2oy3nkCNot to be outdone, Plymouth CityBus has its own Coronation commemorative livery, applied to ADL Enviro400 City 576. A photo has appeared, rather incongruously, on the Go Cornwall Bus Twitter feed.
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Post by MetrolineGA1511 on May 13, 2023 3:51:25 GMT
Go Cornwall Bus have just sent me a timetable book ready for my holiday next month.
I did offer to pay but they kindly agreed to send it to me free of charge.
All my buses in Devon will be Stagecoach restricted to the city of Exeter.
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Post by wirewiper on May 16, 2023 11:54:02 GMT
Go Devon Bus has cancelled the registrations for routes 315, 345 and 377 from Exeter to Barnstaple, Okehampton and Chulmleigh respectively, effective 5th June. It is not clear if the routes are being re-tendered, or simply transferred to fellow Go South West subsidiary Dartline which has a base in the Exeter area. The routes commenced on 31st October last year and replaced the tendered sections of routes 5A/5B/5C, which Stagecoach surrendered due to its severe driver shortage at the time. Go Devon Bus will indeed cease on Saturday 3rd June after seven months of operation and the outstation at Winkleigh will close. It is now confirmed that Stagecoach will be operating replacement services from Monday 5th June. Some journeys on route 5 (Exeter-Crediton) will be extended to Okehampton, Barnstaple and Chulmleigh as routes 5A, 5B and 5C respectively on Mondays to Saturdays. The National Bus Company-era route numbers 315, 345 and 377 will no longer be used. The 5A/5B/5C timetables won't be the the same as previously, with only a limited number of through journeys although in some cases connections will be available. In particular the through service between Exeter and Barnstaple will consist of just three journeys each way. The Sunday service will continue to operate between Exeter and Crediton at 90-minute intervals. www.traveldevon.info/bus/latest-news-service-updates/ From the same date Stagecoach will also take on Devon County Council contract routes 7 (Exmouth Town Service, renumbered 97) and 173 (Exeter-Chagford & Moretonhampstead) from Dartline. Stagecoach will operate a Summer Sunday & Public Holiday service on North Devon route 31 (Ilfracombe-Woolacombe) from Sunday 28th May until Sunday 17th September, the Monday-saturday sercvice will continue to be operated by Taw & Torridge with no change to the timetable. Also on Sundays & Public Holidays from 28th May to 24th September, Stagecoach will operate a route 198 from Gunnislake Rail Station to Tavistock then in a one-way loop via Yelverton, Princetown and Merrivale back to Tavistock and Gunnislake. The service will be operated in partnership with Devon County Council and the Devon & Cornwall Railway Partnership and will offer up to four round trips, some timed to connect with trains at Gunnislake. Special add-on fares will be available for rail passengers.
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Post by wirewiper on May 16, 2023 17:50:35 GMT
There will be some timetable changes to Stagecoach services in Torbay and Newton Abbot from Sunday 28th May, including the 7 and 39 routes to Exeter, although no major route changes appear to be in the offing. The 12 (Newton Abbot-Torquay-Paignton-Brixham) appears to be gaining a late-night service, with additional departures from Newton Abbot at 00.02, 01.02 and 02.02 and from Brixham at 00.04, 01.04, 02.04 and 03.04 (to Torquay only) on all nights except Sundays and Public holidays. The 271 Summer-only "Haytor Hoppa" is reverting to its old format and will no longer be operated off the Newton Abbot-Bovey Tracey shorts on the 39. Commencing on 6th June it will operate four journeys on Saturdays from Newton Abbot to Bovey Tracey, then a circular route via Haytor Vale, Widecombe-in-the-Moor and Manaton back to Bovey Tracey and Newton Abbot. Most journeys will extenned to and from Newton Abbot railway station. This year the service will be operated by Stagecoach. In the same area, routes 174 and 184 (Newton Abbot-The Willows/Teignmouth) will transfer from Dartline to Country Bus from Saturday 6th June, with revised times. These routes are interworked, using a single vehicle. Full timetables for the Torbay timetable changes from Sunday 28th May are now on the Stagecoach South West website. These include routes 2, 7 and 39 which operate into Exeter. 2 Exeter-Newton Abbot: timing changes. Some lightly-loaded journeys are withdrawn. 7 Exeter-Totnes: Sunday service routed via Matford Park & Ride in line with the Monday-Saturday route. 12 Newton Abbot-Brixham: some changes to times although frequencies mostly stay the same. Initially for the Summer period, an hourly late night service will operate between midnight and 03.00 (except Sundays and Public Holidays). 13 Torbay Hospital-Brixham: Changes to some Monday to Friday journeys, with the last services (18.50 from Brixham and 20.15 from Torbay Hospital) withdrawn. New hourly Saturday service departing Torbay Hospital between 07.10 and 17.10, and Brixham between 08.10 and 18.10, this is supported by Torbay Council. 18 Brixham-Kingswear: Some lightly loaded journeys withdrawn on Mondays to Saturdays, including the last journeys - the last round trip now departs Brixham at 18.35 and Kingswear at 19.00. 22 South Devon College-St Marychurch/Dawlish Warren: timetable changes with some lightly-loaded morning journeys withdrawn. Route 22A journeys on Monday-Saturday evenings are withdrawn with route 22 operating hourly between South Devon College and St Marychurch after 19.00. The Sunday service will operate to and from South Devon College in line with the Monday-Saturday service. 23 Paignton-White Rock: All journeys will now operate between Paignton and South Devon College, including Sundays. 31 Torquay-Barton: minor changes to times. 35A/35C Torquay Circulars: changes to times to improve reliability, and for better spacing of departures. In Shphay buses will operate directly via Exe Hill in both directions and will no longer operate along Fowey Avenue. The Saturday morning service will be hourly on each route until 08.30. 39 Exeter-Newton Abbot: adjustments to the timetable although frequencies remain generally the same. The Sunday service is reduced from five to four round trips. 110 Torquay-KEVICS (Totnes - school route): changes to morning and afternoon departure times. The afternoon journey will operate to Torquay Grammar School from where it will form the 32C journey to St Marychurch, through passengers can stay on the bus. 120 Paignton-Kingswear: changes to some times, and the last journeys are withdrawn - the last round trip now departs Paignton at 17.40 and Kingswear at 18.10 (Monday to Saturday). 122 Hoburne Devon Bay-Babbacombe Downs (open-top service): full Summer service introduced, with buses running every 30 minutes daily starting around 09.00 and finishing around 18.00. FOX Paignton-Foxhole Estate: 18.20 journey Monday-Friday withdrawn due to low demand. On Saturdays the service will operate every 30 minutes before 09.30 and after 16.30. Stagecoach will also operate the 271 "Haytor Hoppa" once again this year, under contract to Devon County Council. This year the route will revert to its previous format, and will operate on Saturdays between 27th May and 17th September. Four round trips will operate from Newton Abbot (three will start from/finish at the Railway Station) to Bovey Tracey, then in a one-way loop via Haytor Vale, Widecombe-in-the-Moor and Manaton back to Bovey Tracey and Newton Abbot.
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Post by wirewiper on May 23, 2023 16:47:34 GMT
Plymouth CityBus is providing special shuttle services for the Muse concert which takes place at Home Park Stadium (Plymouth Argyle FC's home ground) on Saturday 27th May.
Route A will operate from Coypool Park & Ride, calling also at Royal Parade (stop A8) and the rail station. Buses will depart every 20 minutes from 16.00 until 20.00. Additional buses will also operate from Royal Parade giving a ten-minute service.
Route B will operate from George Park & Ride every 20 minutes from 16.00 to 20.00.
Buses will return from Milehouse Park and Ride (which is adjacent to the Stadium) at frequent intervals from 22.30 until 23.40.
Return fares are £5 from the Park & Rides, and £3 from the City Centre or Rail Station.
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