The usual weekly look back on what has been published on the Registered Local Bus Services site over the last week. As most weeks at the moment much of this has already happened due to very short notice changes due to COVID19. There are also quite a few changes outstanding that have not appeared in the daily download yet – and I am sure quite a few timetable changes that are being missed as they are not being published.
Although it looks quite a lot these are all service suspensions under the COVID19 restrictions – schools services for Plymouth Citybus and a couple of National Express services – ALL of their services have been suspended across the country – these are just the ones where the registrations have caught up and been recorded.
As usual click through on the licence numbers for full details and history for each route with maps and timetables where available
| Licence | Route | Start Point | End Point | Effective | Notes | OPERATOR |
| PD0000738.215 | 101 | PLYMOUTH, BRISTOL, BIRMINGHAM, MANCHESTER | ROCHDALE | 10-Jan-2021 | Temporary suspension of service due to corona virus. | NATIONAL EXPRESS LTD |
| PH0000135.190 | 171 | West Looe | Callywith College, Bodmin | 20-Jan-2021 | Temporary variation due to Coronavirus Service suspended |
PLYMOUTH CITYBUS LTD |
| PH0000135.191 | 179 | Gunnislake, Callington & Liskeard | Callywith College, Bodmin | 20-Jan-2021 | Temporary variation due to Coronavirus Service suspended |
PLYMOUTH CITYBUS LTD |
| PH0000135.193 | 180 | Bude, Otterham Station & Camelford | Callywith College, Bodmin | 20-Jan-2021 | Temporary variation due to Coronavirus Service suspended |
PLYMOUTH CITYBUS LTD |
| PH0000135.194 | 180 | Bodmin Parkway, Bodmin, St Maybyn, St Tudy, St Breward | Camelford | 20-Jan-2021 | Temporary timetable variation due to
Coronavirus Service 180 and 181 suspended |
PLYMOUTH CITYBUS LTD |
| PH0000135.203 | 181 | Pipers Pool | Callywith College, Bodmin | 20-Jan-2021 | Temporary variation to timetable due to Coronavirus | PLYMOUTH CITYBUS LTD |
| PH0000135.196 | 182 | Delabole | Wadebridge | 20-Jan-2021 | Temporary variation due to Coronavirus Service suspended but bus to Wadebridge School still operates |
PLYMOUTH CITYBUS LTD |
| PH0000135.219 | 186 | St Stephen, St Dennis & Roche | Bodmin | 20-Jan-2021 | Temporary suspension of service due to Coronavirus national lockdown | PLYMOUTH CITYBUS LTD |
| PH0000135.205 | 187 | Fowey | Callywith College, Bodmin | 20-Jan-2021 | Temporary suspension of service due to Coronavirus national lockdown | PLYMOUTH CITYBUS LTD |
| PH0000135.195 | 188 | Lanjeth, Trewoon, St Austell, Penwithick | Callywith College, Bodmin | 20-Jan-2021 | Temporary suspension of service due to Coronavirus national lockdown | PLYMOUTH CITYBUS LTD |
| PH0000135.206 | 189 | Biscovey | Bodmin | 20-Jan-2021 | Temporary suspension of service due to Coronavirus national lockdown | PLYMOUTH CITYBUS LTD |
| PD0000738.216 | 501 | PLYMOUTH, PAIGNTON, EXETER, HEATHROW | LONDON VICTORIA | 10-Jan-2021 | Temporary suspension of service due to corona virus. | NATIONAL EXPRESS LTD |
| PH0000135.281 | 806 | Devonport | Coombe Dean | 17-Jan-2021 | Temporary variation to timetable due to Coronavirus | PLYMOUTH CITYBUS LTD |
| PH0000135.284 | 807 | Woolwell | Coombe Dean | 20-Jan-2021 | Temporary variation to timetable due to Coronavirus | PLYMOUTH CITYBUS LTD |
| PH0000135.283 | 808 809 810 | Mannamead | Coombe Dean | 17-Jan-2021 | Temporary variation to timetable due to Coronavirus | PLYMOUTH CITYBUS LTD |
There will be quite a few more adjustments to services coming up as the Department of Transport has asked operators to further reduce services where possible.
This is the latest update from Stagecoach:
Latest Update - Changes from the 24.01.2021
Following new guidance from the Department for Transport, asking us to further reduce our services, we have had extensive conversations with Devon County Council and have agreed to make a few additional reductions to our services in Exeter and Torquay.
To view the latest timetables visit: https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south-west/covid-19-timetables
We have worked closely with our local authority partners to maintain vital connections for key workers, maintain service for essential shopping trips and to provide a capacity that will allow our customer to socially distance when travelling with us. The changes are detailed below alongside links to download your new timetables. As of 10th January 2021, the remainder of our network remains unchanged with the majority of our buses operating on school holiday timetables.
Exeter - From 24th January
Route 1: The 1513 from Tiverton toward Exeter will now serve Uffculme School at 1542.
Route A: Frequency of buses has been reduced to 20 minutes on Saturdays
Route Uni: Will operate a special temporary timetable, with buses running every 30 minutes from Monday to Friday, daytimes only.
Route Red P&R: Service will be temporarily withdrawn, customers are still able to catch the 4 service every 20 minutes from the stop at Honiton Road P&R into Exeter.
Torquay- From 31st January
Route 12: A new timetable has been introduced with buses operating every 15 minutes
Route 31: The new timetable introduced will have buses operating every 30 minutes
Route 35: A new timetable has been introduced with buses operating every 30 minutes in each direction.
Both Plymouth Citybus and Transport for Cornwall have put out that some services will be reduced further from 31st January – although no details are given yet.
Have heard from a reliable source stagecoach plan to open an outstation of 15-20 buses up in Newton Abbot(racecourse). This is expected to run workings on the 2,7,12,39,77 and 88. The circumstances are because a) space limited at torquay b)shortage of staff in exeter. There is expected to be a recruitment drive in the area
ReplyDeletePossible to replace the unofficial one they are losing near Strete in South Devon. Interesting though as this will be no good for operation of the 3 etc Seems Stagecoach are concentrating on their original stomping grounds and pulling out of the West of Devon, possibly with First taking over their old parts of Devon
DeleteThey haven't lost it yet! Also none of the routes proposed for operation/part-operation from Newton Abbot are currently operated from Dartmouth.
ReplyDeleteGot some news as a official source.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to first kernow,
It is being operated out of Oakleys Coaches Lee Moor depot
Where the duchy college contract vehicles stay
In regards to Stagecoach SW
They are pulling out of Plymouth
Due to the lease on The Ride in Plymstock going in April and they dont' want to renew it as of money loss
First will take the tenders that exist
We don't know about Stagecoach's commercial routes, depends where First want to make routes for their Plymouth ops
Do you think First will take over Tavistock route again and what about city college tender 36 is that going to First?
DeleteOfficial source????
DeleteIf Stagecoach are pulling out howcome they are still advertising jobs in Plymouth also surely Oakleys depot won't be big enough for First to operate much of Plymouth network out of, even if just current Stagecoach routes and park and ride?
ReplyDeleteWhen Stagecoach originally purchased First's Devon operations the depot at The Ride was owned freehold. When did this change to a leasehold arrangement and who did Stagecoach sell the Freehold to? I don't recall this ever being reported before, but perhaps Graham can clarify? Seems odd to have leased back on such a short lease arrangement if this is true?
ReplyDeleteI'm as confused by all of this as you are I am afraid!
DeleteDo we know for certain SC acquired The Ride land freehold (any official documents?) as it only paid £1 for the entire deal but then did agree to inherit far more drivers than it required (saving FSW a fortune in redundancy costs). Despite additional Falcon & originally Megabus work, many seemed to drift away with SC then finding itself short of drivers remarkably quickly!!
DeleteCome on guys. There are a lot of professional rumour spreaders in the bus industry. They start a rumour just to see how far & how quickly they spread. Don't believe anything until it happens.
ReplyDelete@anonymous no..
ReplyDeletethey bought a whole lease
they renewed it last april but due to covid they are pulling out of plymouth
as its too expensive
and not making much money in plymouth compared to other depots
ReplyDeletethey've already lots most of their routes
As 19 and 31 are tenders, when they leave it will be passed to another operator who the council sees best fit
The Gold is being ran out of Torquay
ReplyDelete15924 and 15925 would be transferred to Torquay.
The X38 is being ran out of Exeter, 15962 transfer back to Exeter
So when will this actually be announced officially,? Surely they need to let customers know soon in time for April? Will First be taking over their routes or not?
ReplyDeleteIf it was closing in April it would be public knowledge by now, my employers are closing a depot in mid-April and we had to tell staff and begin the consultation on job losses & transfers in early January (& we are far less Unionised than Stagecoach would be) - a press release for the general public was released immediately afterwards as the moment staff are informed they will start telling passengers so you need to get accurate information out quickly to reassure those using services being retained. Formal 70-day registration consultation with the council over cancellations & changes would also have gone to the affected councils by now for anything but the last weekend in April so it is highly unlikely there would not be full details in the public domain by now (& almost certainly they would have been told well in advance of a depot closure anyway). Whilst it doesn't mean Plymouth Depot may not be struggling and under threat it would seem unlikely that a closure is occurring in the timescale being suggested by the current rumours.
DeleteSeems as if im in deja vu from another bus blog someone on there for how many years has been harping on about first closing there southampton depot that all started when first chucked in all there school and contract work. Id be intrested if there is any truth to see what would happen to falcon would it finish or would it be run from bristol? As exeter are short of drivers hence why newton Abbott is opening to take on the 2 and 39. apologies now for my skepticism if it does turn out to be true but think ill wait for official confirmation
DeleteA previous SC director told me it could run Falcon from Exeter but agree its constant driver shortages may make it difficult.
DeleteWhom will be running the 3 out of interest?
ReplyDeleteDartmouth outstation that already exists.
DeleteThe 3 could still be operated out of Dartmouth if Stagecoach are allowed to keep the outstation there. Or they could negotiate with Tally Ho to have an outstation in Kingsbridge. Or Tally Ho could take the route on in their own right. Who knows?
DeleteOr Devon County Council could give the route to Plymouth Citybus
DeleteStagecoach moved to new Dartmouth outstation last week , located at Dartmouth Coach Park next to P&R
ReplyDeleteSurely only temporary as it looks like a travellers camp in a car park??
DeleteAgree it does looks a bit temporary but couldn't see any washing hung up or pegs for sale when I passed to be fair.
DeleteLots of rumours going around that I thought would have been announced by now. Personally I've always thought Stagecoach took on the Firsts Plymouth ops to stop any other operator muscling into their territory and as a base for the Megabus/Falcon routes. They never really seemed interested in Plymouth
ReplyDeleteI've always seen Plymouth as a strategic base for Stagecoach, I very much doubt they would give up unless the situation got really dire. It allows them to have a hold on this side of Devon and acts as a bit of a soviet block from their key ops in Devon.
Deleteas said above the falcon and megabus routs from plymouth stay in the ride and so does some of the gold buses and all the local routes, but with stagecoach who has painted all the park and ride buses out of there livery very quick almost makes you think that they will be leaving and want that branding gone beforehand? although this is a wait and see what happens i would of expected stagecoach SW to announce it by now that there leaving but then again they could be waiting on someone to replace all the services so they can say swap staff over to them and let passengers know who will take over?
DeleteNo Megabus routes stay at The Ride anymore Bradley as they are no longer directly operated but subbed to independent Redwoods (suspended during pandemic).
Delete