Buses reduced in Torbay for winter

But open-topped route in Exmouth stays

Buses around Torbay are being reduced as demand falls over the autumn and winter season.

Stagecoach South West, which has come under criticism this year for not meeting its usual timetable, is to cut services "to reflect seasonal changes in customer demand."

A usual, open top buses won't run through the off-peak season, although the number 95 will operate a limited winter service for the first time.

The changes primarily affect people in Torbay.  Stagecoach says it has designed the changes to offer a more sustainable bus network to attract greater passenger numbers over the long term, and that its focus remains on maintaining vital journeys and connections and to provide a network that best meets the changing needs of the communities they serve.

In addition to the seasonal changes, route 13 will be redesigned and simplified, whilst route 22 will see some routing changes to improve access to new residential and retail destinations.

The Monday to Saturday evening service is also improved to provide hourly buses across the full route length and journeys between Torquay Harbour and Paignton Bus Station, which currently do not operate. 

The seasonal changes in full: 

Service 12 (Newton Abbot – Brixham via Torquay and Paignton)
The Saturday daytime frequency will be reduced from 10 to 12 minutes. On Sundays and Public Holidays the daytime frequency will be reduced from 15 minutes to 20 minutes. In addition, there are also some minor changes to journeys at the start and end of the day. 

Service 17/17A (Brixham Local Service)
On Sunday and Public Holidays there will be 7 trips on Service 17/17A between approximately 0930 and 1700. 

Service 18 (Brixham – Kingswear)
Service 18 will operate every 60 minutes between approximately 1000 and 1700 on Sunday and Public Holidays, with departures from Brixham between 1005 and 1705 and departures from Kingswear between 1022 and 1722. 

Service 31 (Torquay – Watcombe via Barton)
Monday to Saturday daytime frequency will be reduced from 20 minutes to 30 minutes, with the daily evening frequency reduced from 30 minutes to 60 minutes.  On Sundays and Public Holidays the daytime frequency will be reduced from 30 minutes to 60 minutes. 

Service 35A/35C (Torquay – The Willows via Torbay Hospital)
Sunday and Public Holiday daytime frequency will be reduced from every 30 minutes to every 60 minutes. 

Service 271 (Bovey Tracey – Widecombe)
As per previous years, Service 271 will operate on Saturdays only during October, with the last day of operation for the 2022 season as Saturday 29 October 2022. 

Open Top Services:
To coincide with the end of the peak holiday season our open top services will be paused or reduced:

Service 95 (Exmouth – Sandy Bay)
Service 95 will be reduced to operate a limited service Monday to Friday daytime only. The new timetable will operate throughout the Autumn and Winter, ahead of the full timetable resuming in 2023. 

Service 222 (Dawlish Warren – Teignmouth) 
Service 222 will pause operation until the start of the new season in 2023. 

Service 122 (Babbacombe – Devon Bay via Torquay and Paignton)
Service 122 will pause operation until 2023. While there will be no direct service to Devon Bay, Services 12 and 120 continue to stop nearby on Dartmouth Road (Waterside Shops), with all other sections of the route served by other frequent services. 

Other changes in detail: 

Service 2 (Exeter – Newton Abbot via Dawlish)
A number of minor changes are introduced to the timetable at the start and end of the day, there are no changes to the route or frequency of buses.

Service 13/13C/13D (Kingsteignton – Brixham)
Due to low customer demand, the Service 13 route and timetable are being redesigned to provide a simpler, sustainable service for the future with more unique areas served.
The route will be amended to operate between Brixham and Torbay Hospital only, with the section of route between Torbay Hospital and Kingsteignton withdrawn.  To simplify the route Paignton Bus Station will no longer be served, however, Service 12 will provide an alternative in many cases. 
Service 13 will operate every 60 minutes Monday to Friday daytime, with no service at the weekend. 
To accommodate staff working at Torbay Hospital, the timetable has been designed to accommodate a pre-0800 arrival and an additional evening return journey at 2015 will be introduced. 
A replacement new Service 53, operated under contract to Devon County Council will operate between Kingsteignton and Torbay Hospital. 
School and college journeys will operate as Services 13C, 13D or 53. 

Service 53 (Kingsteignton – Torbay Hospital) 
A new Service 53, operated under contract to Devon County Council will operate six journeys per day Monday to Friday between Kingsteignton and Torbay Hospital and will provide a replacement for the withdrawn section of route on Service 13. Connections at Torbay Hospital will allow customers to connect between Services 13 and 53 for any journeys that involve travel across Torbay Hospital. A limited Saturday timetable will be operated by Country Bus. 

Service 22 (Dawlish Warren – South Devon College via St Marychurch and Paignton)
The route of Service 22 will be amended in the Roselands area to serve Roselands Drive and Wilkins Drive / Aldi in both directions, which will provide improved access to new residential and retail destinations. 
The evening timetable on Service 22 will be improved and simplified, with journeys operating every 60 minutes along the full length of route between St Marychurch and South Devon College. In addition, new Service 22A will operate every 60 minutes, with a direct routing between Torquay Harbour and Paignton Bus Station, following the same route as Service 12.  
With the exception of Sunday and Public Holiday daytime journeys, all journeys extend to and from South Devon College, providing a more consistent timetable and additional journey opportunities. 

Service 23 (Paignton – South Devon College)
Monday to Friday off-peak (approximately 1000-1530) and weekend evening journeys will be extended beyond Davies Avenue to Waddeton Close, which provides a more consistent timetable and additional journey opportunities. 

Service 39 (Exeter – Newton Abbot via Bovey Tracey)
There are a number of minor changes to the timetable at the start and end of the day, with some journeys withdrawn or curtailed.
On Saturdays, journeys that operate between Newton Abbot and Bovey Tracey will be withdrawn however, there will still be journeys between Newton Abbot and Exeter via Bovey Tracey every 60 minutes.
There are minor changes to the Sunday and Public Holidays timetable, with some first and last journeys withdrawn due to low customer demand. 

Service FOX
To better reflect customer demand there will be changes to the frequency of buses during the evening on Service FOX. Weekdays and Saturdays after 1935, and Sundays and Public Holidays after 1835 buses will operate every 60 minutes until 2335 from Paignton Bus Station.