Plymouth to Exeter? Good luck with that

Stagecoach published the full list of timetables that are changing at the beginning of September:

• Exeter Area Changes

Journeys in the later evening are now provided with financial support from Devon County Council on services A, E1/E2and I/J, there are no change to the timetable for these journeys.

Service A (Alphington - City Centre)

The Monday to Saturday daytime frequency of buses is increased from every 20 minutes to every 15 minutes. Services A and E1/E2 will now offer 8 buses per hour between the City Centre and St Thomas, with a co-ordinated timetable There are changes to some early morning departure times and passengers should check the new timetable for further details.

Service E1/E2 (Exwick – Beacon Heath / Pinhoe via City Centre)

Following a review of the route of Service E1/E2 around the Farm Hill loop, from 3 September 2023, buses will operate this loop in a clockwise direction.

Service H (Exeter St David’s – Digby)

The timetable is revised on all days of operation to improve punctuality of the service. Journeys towards Digby will now operate directly to Tesco, no longer serving Digby Drive, Clyst Halt Avenue and part of Russell Way. Service I will provide a partial replacement (see below).

Service I (City Centre – Digby)

Monday to Saturday journeys on Service I between approximately 0930 and 1600 will additionally serve Digby Drive, Clyst Halt Avenue and part of Russell Way in a one way loop.

Service P (Crossmead – Pennsylvania via City Centre)

The timetable is revised on all days of operation to improve punctuality of the service.

Service UNI (Streatham – St Lukes via City Centre)from 18 September 2023

A new term time timetable begins from week commencing 17 September 2023. The timetable is revised on all days of operation to improve punctuality of the service. The night service will return for the new academic year, operating on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights only.

Service 4 (Exeter St Davids – Cranbrook via City Centre and Honiton Road Park and Ride)

The frequency of buses is increased across the week, with Monday to Friday daytimes enhancing from every 20, to every 12 minutes, providing an additional two journeys an hour.  On Saturday daytime buses are increased from every 20 minutes to every 15 minutes, and on Sunday and Public Holiday daytimes buses are doubled from one to two buses every hour.

The daily evening timetable is re-designed, following an increase in demand, to operate approximately every 30 minutes across the full route from Exeter St Davids to Cranbrook. This reinstates direct journeys to and from Exeter St Davids during the evening.

There are minor changes to the frequency of buses during the early morning and a small number of late evening journeys are withdrawn from the timetable.

Between Exeter St Davids and Honiton Road Park and Ride, Services 4 and 4A will provide a combined frequency of up to 7 buses an hour Monday to Friday, six buses an hour on a Saturday and

a 20 minute frequency on a Sunday.

Service 4A (Exeter St Davids – Exeter Airport via City Centre and Honiton Road Park and Ride)

Following a review of the current Service 4A and the award of a tender by Devon County Council, there are changes to the route and timetable of Service 4A.

Service 4A will operate up to every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime and every 60 minutes Sunday and Public Holiday daytime. The route of Service 4A will be amended to provide more direct and quicker journeys to and from Exeter Airport, operating via the A30 and will no longer serve Clyst Honiton.

Service 6 (Okehampton - Bude) and Service 6A (Exeter – Okehampton)

Following a tender process Service 6 will continue to operate between Okehampton and Bude, under contract to Devon County Council. There are some minor changes to the timetable, including the 1510 Monday to Friday departure from Bude, which will additionally serve Budehaven School.

A number of enhancements are introduced between Exeter and Okehampton on Route 6A.

Several journeys will connect with Service 6 at Okehampton allowing customers to board the bus in Exeter and travel straight through to Bude. Additional journeys are also introduced Monday to Saturday, with up to 11 journeys operating between Okehampton and Exeter, reducing time between departures to just one hour in a number of cases.

Stagecoach will replace the current operator on Sunday and Public Holidays, offering an enhanced timetable to customers, providing three journeys in each direction across the entire route.

Service 9/9A (Exeter – Honiton / Seaton)

Additional and later last journeys will operate Monday to Saturday evenings at 2210 from Sidmouth to Honiton and at 2130 from Honiton to Sidmouth which will connect with rail services at Honiton Railway Station.

Service 44/44A (Exeter – Honiton / Axminster)

Additional and later last journeys will operate Monday to Saturday evenings at 2030 from Exeter to Honiton and at 2245 from Honiton to Exeter.

Service 55 (Exeter – Tiverton)

The timetable is revised on all days of operation to improve punctuality of the service, including improved connections with Service 346 at Tiverton Bus Station.

Service 57 (Exeter – Brixington via Topsham and Exmouth)

Following passenger feedback, extra journeys will be provided at peak times Monday to Friday towards Exeter, plus an additional and earlier first journey on Sunday and Public Holidays from Brixington to Exeter at 0750, providing an arrival into Exeter before 0900.

Service 58A (Exeter St Davids – Exmouth)

Following the award of a tender from Devon County Council, a new Service 58A will be introduced, operating between Exmouth and Exeter St Davids, providing new and direct peak time journey opportunities for commuters and students. Buses will operate via Brixington, Woodbury, Exeter Airport, Exeter College Technology Centre and Whipton Shops.

Service 95 (Exmouth – Sandy Bay)

Following the end of the peak summer season, the frequency of Service 95 will be reduced to hourly 7 days a week and will operate until the end of October half-term, when a further reduced timetable will be introduced.

Service 97 (Masey Road – Exmouth Town Centre – The Marles)

There are minor changes to the timetable to improve punctuality of the service.

Service 173 (Exeter – Moretonhampstead via Tedburn St Mary and Chagford)

The timetable is revised on all days of operation to improve punctuality of the service. The 1823 Monday to Saturday journey from Chagford will now operate the standard route and additionally serve Heath Cross, Whitestone and Nadderwater, with the arrival time into Exeter becoming slightly later.

Service 222 (Dawlish Warren – Teignmouth)

Service will be withdrawn for end of the 2023 season.

Following a recent tender award, Stagecoach will take over operation of the Tiverton town network from another operator, with only minor changes to the current timetables The local network includes:

Service 343 (Tiverton – Cotteylands – Tiverton)

Service 348/349 (Tiverton – Cowley Moor – Higher Moor – Tiverton)

Service 352/353 (Tiverton – Tidcombe)

Service 355 (Exeter - Tiverton)

Monday to Saturday journeys at 0730 from Exeter and 1745 from Tiverton, currently provided by another operator, will be operated by Stagecoach as Service 355.

• North Devon Areas

Barnstaple Town Services

Services 10/10A (Barnstaple Town Service – Gorwell Circular), 11A/11C (Barnstaple Town Service – Whiddon Valley), 29 (Barnstaple Town Service – Bradiford, North Devon District Hospital, Bishops Tawton) and 62A/62C (Barnstaple Town Service – Tower View and Woodville)

Timetables are revised on all days of operation to improve punctuality of the services. Additional journeys will operate Monday to Saturday daytime on Service 11A/C between approximately 0930 and 1730 to provide a combined 20 minute frequency to and from Whiddon Valley and double the number of buses in Forches.

Service 15/15A (Barnstaple to East the Water Circular)

Following a review of services within Bideford there are a number of significant changes to the timetables of Services 15A/15C and 75. The current 15A/15C will be replaced by new 15/15A service.

The new 15/15A will provide new direct links across Bideford between East-the-Water and Affinity Outlet, with each service operating every 60 minutes to provide a combined improved frequency of up to every 30 minutes on Monday to Saturday daytimes.

Working in partnership with Devon County Council, a brand new Sunday and Public Holiday timetable will be introduced, provided three journeys on each service during core retail hours.

These changes replace sections of route that are currently served by Service 75.

Service 19 (North Devon District Hospital to Roundswell via Town Centre)

There are some minor changes to the Monday to Friday timetable.

A consistent 30 minute Monday to Friday frequency is offered throughout the day filling the current gap in buses around lunchtime. The frequency of buses during the main part of the day on Saturday will be doubled from every 60 minutes to every 30 minutes, providing an additional journey opportunity each hour.

Service 21/21A (Ilfracombe to Westward Ho! / Appledore via Barnstaple and Bideford)

Service 21C (Barnstaple to Croyde Bay / Georgeham via Braunton)

Following the end of the peak summer season, there will be a number of seasonal adjustments to the timetable of Service 21/21A/21C.

During the main part of the day Monday to Saturday, Service 21/21A will serve Ilfracombe every 30 minutes, Barnstaple to Bideford every 15 minutes and Westward Ho! and Appledore every 60 minutes.

Service 21C will operate every 60 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime between Barnstaple and Croyde Bay, with the majority of journeys extending to and from Georgeham. A number of journeys will be operated with financial support from Devon County Council. The Sunday and Public Holiday timetable will be paused until the start of the summer season in 2024.

Service 31 (Ilfracombe to Woolacombe – Mortehoe Circular)

This seasonal service operates until 17 September 2023.

Service 75 (Londonderry Farm to Great Torrington via Bideford)

Following a review of demand for Service 75, significant changes will be made to the route and timetable. The route will be curtailed to operate between Great Torrington and Bideford Quay only via Dartington Fields and Burwood Estate. Passengers requiring travel within Bideford and for sections of route no longer served by Service 75, should refer to the changes to Service 15/15A for further details.

Service 75 will continue to operate an hourly Monday to Saturday timetable. Departure times are also revised to provide a more even spread of journey opportunities between Great Torrington and Bideford with Services 5B, 75 and 317. The small number of journeys that currently extend from Bideford to Barnstaple will no longer operate.

Working in partnership with Devon County Council, a new Sunday and Public Holiday timetable will be introduced, providing four journeys across the main part of the day.

Service 155 (Barnstaple to South Molton)

There are a number of minor changes to afternoon departures from Barnstaple.

The  1715 Monday to Friday journey from Barnstaple to North Molton will be replaced by the 1645 College Days trip from Roundswell to South Molton which will depart High Wall at 1650 and continue to North Molton.  The 1625 Monday to Friday College Holidays journey from Barnstaple to South Molton will now additionally operate on College Days.

Saturday morning and early evening journeys will no longer serve North Molton and will now operate the standard route to and from Mill on the Mole.

Working in partnership with Devon County Council, a new Sunday and Public Holiday timetable will be introduced, providing four journeys in each direction during the main part of the day.

Service 317 (Bideford to Okehampton)

The timetable is revised on all days of operation to improve punctuality of the service.

Service 319 (Barnstaple to Hartland via Bideford, Ford, Woolsery and Clovelly)

The timetable is revised on all days of operation to improve punctuality of the service.

Additional Monday to Saturday journeys will operate at 0603 from Barnstaple to Hartland, and 1845 from Hartland to Barnstaple, ensuring a connection from Service 219 from Bude to Hartland, arriving at 1819.

Service 372 (Barnstaple to Bradworthy / Holsworthy via Bideford and Littleham)

Following a tender award by Devon County Council, there will be some enhancements to the timetable of Service 372, with four additional journeys operating Monday to Friday, including the extension of some journeys to and from Holsworthy.

Service 646 (Holsworthy to Ashwater)

Following a tender award by Devon County Council, a new Service 646 will be introduced between Holsworthy and Ashwater via Clawton.

Service 646 will provide two journeys in each direction Monday to Friday.

• Plymouth Area

Service 1 (Plymouth to Tavistock via Derriford Hospital and George Park and Ride)

Service 1A (Sherford to George Park and Ride via City Centre and Derriford Hospital)

Service 1S (George Park and Ride to Tavistock School)

The timetable is revised on all days of operation to improve punctuality of the service.

The frequency of buses on service 1A between Sherford and City Centre in the evenings Monday to Saturday and on Sunday and Public Holiday daytimes, is doubled from every 60 to every 30 minutes.

Following an increase in demand for scholars travelling to and from Tavistock School, a new Service 1S will be introduced on Schooldays only. Buses will operate via the Service 1 route, additionally serving bus stops in Horrabridge. Service will depart George Park and Ride at 0735 to Tavistock School, and Tavistock School at 1520.

Service X1 (Plymouth / DHS Schools to Tavistock)

The timetable is revised to improve punctuality of the service.

Service 2 (Saltash to Mount Batten via City Centre)

Service 2A (Saltash to City Centre)

The timetable is revised on all days of operation to improve punctuality of the service. Along the common section of route, the revised timetable will offer a better coordination of departures between Services 2 and 2A.

There is a slight reduction to the number of journeys on Service 2A on Saturday mornings and daily evening journeys after approximately 1900 will be withdrawn due to low passenger demand. Service 2 will continue to operate every 60 minutes throughout the evening.

Service X38 (Plymouth to Exeter via Buckfastleigh)

Service 38 (Exeter – Bovey Tracey – Ivybridge)

Following a review of current Services X38 and 39, these services will be replaced by a brand new Service 38, as well as a revised Service 39.

Service 38 will operate hourly Monday to Saturday daytimes between Exeter and Bovey Tracey, via the current Service 39 route. On Sunday and Public Holidays, there will be 7 journeys in each direction between Exeter and Bovey Tracey, with three journeys in each direction between Bovey Tracey and Ivybridge.

Every two hours Monday to Saturday daytime, a journey will continue beyond Bovey Tracey to Ivybridge via Drumbridges, Liverton, Ashburton, Buckfastleigh and South Brent and beyond Bovey Tracey to Newton Abbot, as a revised Service 39 with a guaranteed connection.

Service 52 (Plympton to Derriford Hospital)

The timetable is revised on all days of operation to improve punctuality of the service.

Service 86 (Tavistock to Whitchurch)brand new service

A new Service 86 will be introduced, to provide a partial replacement in relation to changes to Service 89, which will no longer serve Whitchurch.

Service 86 will operate every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime with departures from Tavistock Bus Station between 0925 and 1355, with a further departure at 1655.

Service 86 links Tavistock Town Centre with Whitchurch via Morrisons.

Service 87/87A (Tavistock via Bere Ferrers and Bere Alston) additional capacity at school times

Following an increase in demand for scholars travelling to and from Tavistock School, additional journeys will operate on Schooldays only. Service 87A will operate at 0757 from Bere Alston Railway Station to Tavistock School and at 1522 on Service 87 from Tavistock School to Bere Alston Railway Station.

Service 89 (Tavistock to Bishopsmead)

Service 89 will operate from Tavistock Bus Station and provide links to the new housing developments in Tavistock, The Tors and Embden Grange while still serving Courtlands and journeys between approximately 0900 and 1400 additionally serving Morrisons.  The new timetable will operate Monday to Saturday at least hourly between approximately 0700 and 1900.

Service 89 will no longer serve Whitchurch, however, new Service 86 will provide a service to and from Whitchurch.

Service 198 (Gunnislake to Princetown)

This seasonal service operates up to and including 24 September 2023.

Service 200 (City Centre to Coypool Park and Ride)

The timetable is revised on all days of operation to improve punctuality of the service.

Service GOLD (Plymouth to Paignton via Totnes)

The timetable is revised on all days of operation to improve punctuality of the service.

A small number of additional journeys will operate, and on schooldays, one AM and one PM journey will additionally serve Ivybridge Community College, replacing current journeys on Service X38.

• Torbay and South Devon Areas

Service 2 (Exeter – Newton Abbot via Dawlish)

0625 and 0655 Monday to Friday departures from Newton Abbot to Exeter are advanced to 0615 and 0645 respectively, which is designed to improve reliability and punctuality.

Service 3 (Plymouth to Kingsbridge) and Service 93 (Dartmouth to Kingsbridge)

Following the award of a tender by Devon County Council, a new timetable will be introduced with revised departure times on all days of operation to improve punctuality of the services.

An additional later and last journey will operate Monday to Saturday on Service 93 from Dartmouth to Kingsbridge at 1845.

Guaranteed connections will be offered for passengers travelling beyond Kingsbridge in either direction allowing customers to remain on the vehicle, with reduced waiting times in Kingsbridge.

Service 7 (Exeter – Totnes via Newton Abbot)

In connection with changes to Service 92, a number of additional or amended journeys will operate.

0741 Monday to Friday from Newton Abbot to Totnes.

0815 Saturday from Newton Abbot to Totnes.

1830 Monday to Friday from Newton Abbot to Matford Park and Ride.

1830 Monday to Saturday from Exeter to Newton Abbot is retarded to 1845 and extended through to Totnes.

1915 Monday to Saturday from Totnes to Newton Abbot will be extended to Matford Park and Ride.

1940 Monday to Saturday from Totnes to Matford Park and Ride.

2040 Monday to Saturday from Totnes to Newton Abbot.

2140 Monday to Saturday from Totnes to Newton Abbot.

Most journeys will continue from Totnes to Dartmouth as service 92.

Service 12 (Newton Abbot – Brixham via Torquay and Paignton)

There are some minor changes to Monday to Friday late afternoon journeys.

Service 13/13C/13D (Torbay Hospital – Brixham)

Service 13/13C/13D will additionally serve the bus stop at Aldi on Wilkins Drive in both directions.

Service 18 (Brixham – Kingswear)

0753 Monday to Saturday journey from Kingswear to Brixham will be delayed to 0810 to accommodate passenger requests and school movements.

Service 22 (Dawlish Warren – South Devon College via St Marychurch and Paignton)

Minor timetable changes are introduced.

Service 23 (Paignton – South Devon College)

To help improve the reliability and punctuality of the service, the route will be amended to operate a one-way loop from Goodrington Road via Kingsway Avenue, White Rock Way, Waddeton Road, Long Road, South Devon College and Long Road to Goodrington Road.

Service 39 (Bovey Tracey – Newton Abbot)

Following a review of current Services X38 and 39, these services will be replaced by a new Service 38, as well a revised Service 39.

Service 39 will operate every 30 minutes Monday to Friday daytime and every 60 minutes Saturday daytime between Bovey Tracey and Newton Abbot, following the same route as current Service 39.

There will be four journeys in each direction on Service 39 on Sunday and Public Holidays.

Every two hours, a Service 39 journey will continue beyond Bovey Tracey to Exeter as new Service 38, with a guaranteed connection.

Service 41 (Chudleigh – Totnes)

Due to low passenger the journey offered by Service 41 during South Devon College term time will be withdrawn, however, Services 7, 13D and 39 will provide alternative journey opportunities.

Service 88/88A/88C (Newton Abbot – Totnes)

Following a recent tender award, this service will no longer be operated by Stagecoach and will move to Country Bus with a revised timetable from 3 September 2023.

Service 90 (Dartmouth to Townstal)

Due to low passenger demand, Monday to Saturday journeys prior to 0830 will be withdrawn.

The 2330 Monday to Saturday journey from Dartmouth Pontoon to Carey Road will continue to the Park and Ride site. The Sunday and Public Holiday timetable, will be simplified with buses follow the standard route.

Service 92 (Dartmouth to Totnes)

The timetable is enhanced significantly with the frequency of buses doubled to every hour for much of the day Monday to Saturday. A number of additional early evening journeys will also be introduced, providing later journey opportunities in both directions.

Services 7 and 92 will provide an hourly frequency from Exeter to Dartmouth via Newton Abbot, with a guaranteed connection in Totnes.  The vast majority of journeys are designed to connect in and out of Service 7 at Totnes.

Service 122 (Babbacombe – Devon Bay via Torquay and Paignton)

Following the end of the peak summer season, the frequency of Service 122 will be reduced to hourly and will operate until Saturday 28 October 2023, which coincides with the end of October half-term, when the service will then end for the 2023 season.

• New South Devon College Services from 11 September 2023

Several new services will commence operation on behalf of South Devon College during College term times only.

Service SD1 - South Devon College – Princess Yachts: A 0700 departure from Coypool Park and Ride (for Princess Yachts) to South Devon College, with a return journey at 1600.

Service SD2 - South Devon College – NOSS: A 0800 departure from South Devon College to NOSS on Dart Marina, with a return journey at 1530.

Service SD1 will connect with Service SD2 and passengers can remain on the vehicle for onward travel.

Service SD3 - South Devon College – Kingsbridge: A 0757 departure from Kingsbridge to South Devon College, with a return journey at 1705.

Service FALCON

From 3 September 2023, passengers wishing to make journeys on the local bus network in Exeter or Plymouth with a Falcon ticket will need to purchase an add on ticket through megabus.com at the time of purchasing travel on Falcon.

Flacon tickets will not be able to be purchased on board the local bus network and travel on the local bus network with a Falcon ticket will only be possible with the purchase of the appropriate add on ticket. While there will be no change to the route and timetable for Falcon, there will be changes to the onward travel provided on the wider Stagecoach local bus network.

Thoughts?

Two things that stand out for me – there are a good few service enhancements here, pretty much all down to additional funding from Devon CC which is a good things.

Negative? with all the service enhancements it does strike me odd that easy bus travel between the two principal cities in Devon has become even more difficult and more expensive. Unless I have missed something it now impossible just to catch one bus from Plymouth City Centre through to Exeter City Centre? You either change at Ivybridge -  to to two hourly service to Exeter. Does not seem to be a guaranteed connection ?  Or you could get the Falcon – again dropping you off at a Park and ride so needing an additional bus into Exeter City Centre, and they have made it more difficult to buy through tickets on the bus. Anyone know how much a single to Exeter is in the Falcon these days – the ticket finder on the web site quote me over £12 surely that's not correct is it? There are a couple of departures available on Flixbus a day which seem to start at £3.99 when available which seems to be the best option that I can see – even that's twice the standard £2 single fare you can use between between most other towns across Devon & Cornwall with linking bus services – just not between the two biggest ones!

If I have missed something obvious and I am wrong please tell me!