PH1020951/139 STAGECOACH DEVON LTD, BELGRAVE RD, EXETER, EX12LB
Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Paignton Bus Station and
Plymouth Bus Station given service number X45 effective from 28-Jul-
2008.
The official notice that SCD are cancelling their seemingly popular X45 service next month. It does seem to have caught people by surprise (ok well it surprised me at least) as the service has always seemed to be popular offering a quicker run to Paignton than the competing X80 from First.
There has been plenty of suggestions as to why its been cancelled with the new free travel scheme being one such suggestion as the remuneration available to bus companies does not favour these long routes. The buses may have looked quite full on occasions but if the company wasnt getting enough money to carry them then its not a lot of good. The recent departure of Chris Hilditch may well have been a factor with the new team wanting to reduce the 'bus wars' between First and Stagecoach.
All in all its probably good news for First as it does help safeguard the X80 at least but its sad to see another bus link withdrawn.
Well, all the dozens of shiny new bus stop flags and timetables that Stagecoach put up along the route have now all become obsolete!
ReplyDeleteAs you said Graham, whenever I passed through Bretonside their always seemed to be hordes of people, (mainly old) waiting for an X45, when there was a near empty X80 already waiting.
I caught the X45 on many occasions, and on most of which it did seem to be crowded with OAP's getting their moneys worth, or should I say our tax-payers moneys worth.
ReplyDeleteIt's obviouscly not beneficial enough to Stagey.