Stagecoach to change bus timetable

Aim is to improve punctuality

Stagecoach is making some timetable changes from Sunday 2 April to try to improve punctuality. 

The bus operator says it wants to make sure buses arrive when expected.

Over the last few months, the company has analysed data from onboard tracking systems and they have used that to plan the forthcoming changes.

They have also considered post-pandemic traffic congestion and demand patterns. 

As well as timetable changes, a couple of new services are on the way, as well as new links and increased frequencies in parts of Exeter, Exmouth and Plymouth.

The changes are listed below by area, with any additional changes over and above the punctuality adjustments detailed.

Exeter City

Service A (Alphington - City Centre)
A minor change to the route in the City Centre is introduced, with buses starting and terminating at the Bus Station and no longer serving the Odeon bus stop on Sidwell Street. 
The Monday to Saturday evening frequency will be reduced from every 30 minutes to every 60 minutes, with the timetable co-ordinated with Service P between the City Centre and St Thomas where possible. There are no changes to the daytime frequency of buses. 

Service B (Science Park – Exminster via City Centre)
Following a review of passenger demand and in anticipation of the opening of the new railway station at Marsh Barton, a small number of morning and evening journeys Monday to Friday will no longer operate between Exminster and Teignmouth. Passengers can change buses to route 2 for onward connections to or from Teignmouth. The new timetable will offer additional frequency and capacity at peak times between the Science Park and Exminster via City Centre, with a small number of additional journeys added to the Monday to Friday timetable at the start and end of the day.   
An enhanced Sunday and Public Holiday timetable is also introduced with journeys extended to and from the Science Park (journeys currently only operate between Exminster and the City Centre). 
Where possible, a co-ordinated spacing of departures between Services B and I will apply between Whipton and the City Centre. 

Service E/E1/E2 (Exwick – Beacon Heath / Pinhoe via City Centre)
The daily evening and Sunday and Public Holiday timetable has been re-designed with Services E1 and E2 between Pinhoe and Exwick, providing a 60 minute frequency over the common section of route. This means the frequency of buses during the evening and all day on Sunday and Public Holidays will be reduced between Beacon Heath and Exwick to better reflect passenger demand.  At these times, journeys on both Services E1 and E2 will serve Lancelot Road and Pinhoe in both directions, ensuring the current level of service is maintained. 

In Exwick, the terminus of Services E1 and E2 has moved from Kinnerton Way to Iveagh Court, therefore passengers will no longer need wait on buses mid loop. Additionally, the connection between Litchfield Road and Thatched House is restored in both directions following passenger feedback.

Some Monday to Friday and Saturday early morning journeys will serve both Lancelot Road and Pinhoe. 

Service F (Cowley Bridge – Summerway via City Centre)
Some departure times are amended to accommodate reliability and punctuality changes, with separate timetables operating Monday to Friday and Saturday to reflect varying traffic congestion. There are no changes to the frequency of buses or number of journeys.  

Service H (Exeter St David’s – Digby)
Separate timetables will apply Monday to Friday and Saturday to reflect varying traffic congestion with no changes to the frequency of buses.  An additional and earlier first journey will be introduced at 0700 from Digby to Exeter St David’s on Monday to Friday. 

Service I/J (City Centre – Digby) 
In Digby, buses will continue to serve IKEA, however, will instead terminate at Tesco. There are a number of minor changes to the timetable, especially with early morning journeys, where all journeys will now operate the full route and provide additional journey opportunities for passengers. To improve journey planning, the evening timetable is standardised across all days of operation. 

Service P (Crossmead – Pennsylvania via City Centre)
To ensure a reliable and punctual service can operate at peak times, changes are introduced to departure times resulting in slightly increased gaps between journeys at these times. 
Separate timetables will apply Monday to Friday and Saturday to reflect varying traffic congestion and passenger demand. 
Evening journeys that currently terminate in Pennsylvania will be extended into the City Centre, which allows passengers to travel around the full Pennsylvania loop or into the City Centre. 

Service R/S (Wonford and Thornpark Rise Circular)
Evening and Sunday and Public Holiday journeys which serve the RD&E will operate a revised route via Woodwater Lane and Quarry Park Road to Quarry Lane before resuming the normal route at Broadfields. This change follows passenger feedback and provides an alternative to Service H, which does not operate at these times. 

Service Green (Matford Park & Ride – Sowton Park & Ride via City Centre) 
In anticipation of the opening of the new railway station at Marsh Barton, there will be a minor change to the route of the Green, which will facilitate connections with rail services towards Exmouth and Paignton.  Buses will operate from via Grace Road Central and will no longer serve two bus stops – one of Alphin Brook Road and one of Trusham Road, however, new alternative bus stops on Grace Road Central will be introduced. 

Exeter Surrounding Areas
Service 1 (Exeter – Cullompton / Tiverton)
On Monday to Saturday some additional journeys are introduced in the early morning from Exeter to Cullompton and early evening from Cullompton to Exeter. 

Service 4/4A (Exeter St David’s – Cranbrook or Exeter Airport via City Centre) 
Following significant changes and the launch of the new service at the end of October 2022, we have identified issues with service reliability due to traffic congestion. In order to ensure that buses run to time we have invested an additional vehicle into the Monday to Saturday schedule. 
Route 4 evening journeys will no longer serve the section of route between Exeter St David’s and the City Centre, however, Service 4A will continue to serve this section of route. There will be an amendment to the 4A route in the Exeter Airport area, with buses operating a one way loop via Long Lane, Silverdown Office Park, Fair Oak Close and B3184. This will provide a number of new direct links and journey opportunities, including to the Future Skills Centre and the hotel. 

Service 5 (Exeter – Crediton) 
To better reflect passenger demand, the Sunday and Public Holiday frequency will be reduced from every 60 minutes to every 90 minutes, however there will be two additional and later journeys, departing Exeter at 2030 and 2200 and Crediton at 2105 and 2235. 

Service 6A/6 (Exeter – Okehampton / Okehampton - Bude)
Minor changes to the timetable to improve punctuality. 

Service 9/9A (Exeter – Honiton / Seaton)
The Monday to Friday 1600 departure from Exeter, currently terminating at Sidbury, is extended to Seaton. On Sunday and Public Holidays some additional journeys are introduced during the early evening. 

NEW Service X30 (Exeter – Seaton) 
Following a successful tender award by Devon County Council, a new Service X30 will be introduced.  The service will operate between Exeter and Seaton via Exeter College Technology Centre, Exeter Science Park and Honiton Monday to Friday, with three journeys in each direction. This new service is designed to provide new direct links for both commuters working at the Science Park and leisure travel. 

Service 55 (Exeter – Tiverton)
Changes to the timetable improve connections between Services 55 and 346 at Tiverton Bus Station.
An additional journey is introduced at 0545 Monday to Saturday from Exeter to Tiverton. The 0645 Monday to Friday journey from Tiverton to Exeter will be withdrawn, however, an additional journey on Service 355 will depart Tiverton at 0634. 
The 0545 Saturday journey from Tiverton to Exeter is withdrawn due to low demand. 
There are some minor changes to the early evening timetable on Monday to Saturday. 

Service 56E (Exmouth Local Service)
All journeys on Service 56E will be re-numbered Service 96, to provide consistency with the daytime service. 

Service 57 (Exeter – Brixington via Topsham and Exmouth)
The number of buses between Exeter and Exmouth are doubled with the Monday to Saturday daytime frequency increased from every 30 minutes up to every 15 minutes, plus a number of additional journeys are introduced during the early morning and evening.
The small number of journeys that terminate in Brixington part way round the route will now complete the full loop to maximise journey opportunities. 

Service 58 (Exeter – Exmouth)
Monday to Friday off-peak journeys will now be operated with financial support from Devon County Council. The current 1123 journey from Exmouth to Exeter is re-timed to depart at 1130 and will no longer serve Brixington.  The current 1735 journey from Exeter to Exmouth is re-timed to depart at 1750, to ensure an on-time departure.  

Service 95 (Exmouth – Sandy Bay)
The timetable is enhanced for the Summer with the frequency increased to every 30 minutes and the route operated with open top double decker buses. Buses will also resume operation on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays. 
For passengers wishing to travel to and from Sandy Bay during the evening, Service 99E will be amended slightly to serve World of Country Life, which is a very short walk from Sandy Bay. 

Service 96 (Exmouth – Lympstone)
An additional journey will operate Monday to Saturday at 1810 from Lympstone to Exmouth. 
Journeys that currently operate as Service 56E will be re-numbered Service 96 and therefore the Service 96 timetable will include evening and Sunday / Public Holiday journeys between the town centre and Bryon Way. 

Service 99E (Brixington – Littleham via Exmouth)
All evening journeys will additionally serve World of Country Life, to provide an opportunity to travel to and from Sandy Bay, during hours that Service 95 is not operating. 
There are no changes to Sunday and Public Holiday daytime journeys. 

Service 222 (Dawlish Warren – Teignmouth) 
Service 222 will resume for the summer season and will operate Saturday, Sunday, Public Holidays and school holidays between 2 April 2023 and 2 September 2023. 
This service does not operate on weekdays during school terms.  

Service 351 (Tiverton – Rackenford Meadow)
While there are no changes to the route, there are some changes to the timetable of Service 351. 
Monday to Friday the number of journeys will increase from six to 9 per day, with earlier and later journeys introduced.  Departure times are amended facilitate connections with Service 373 to and from Cullompton. The Saturday timetable will be removed due to very low demand. 

Service 355 (Exeter - Tiverton)
The 0656 Monday to Saturday journey from Silverton to Exeter will be extended to start from Tiverton Bus Station at 0634. 

School services 970/971/976 to St Peters School 
As previously published, due to declining passenger numbers and increased costs, these services will be withdrawn at the end of the Spring term. Passengers will be able to use utilising our extensive network of services across Exeter to travel to and from St Peter’s School, however, this may require a change of bus. 

North Devon 
Service 9 (Barnstaple Town Service – Bradiford, North Devon District Hospital, Bishops Tawton)
Alongside punctuality changes, Service 9 will be re-numbered to Service 29 to avoid service number clashes across the network. There are no changes to the route. 

Service 10/10A (Barnstaple Town Service – Gorwell Circular) 
A number of departure times are revised to allow buses more time to complete journeys.  

Service 11A/11C (Barnstaple Town Service – Whiddon Valley)
Alongside punctuality changes, a number of departure times are revised to allow buses more time to complete journeys.  

Service 12A/12C (Barnstaple Town Service – Tower View and Woodville)
Service 12A/12C will be re-numbered to Service 62A/62C to avoid service number clashes across the network. There are no changes to the route. 

Service 19 (North Devon District Hospital to Roundswell via Town Centre)
Monday to Saturday evening journeys to and from Roundswell will follow the standard daytime route and additionally serve Sainsburys. The frequency on Saturday morning until early afternoon is reduced from every 30 minutes to every 60 minutes. The Sunday and Public Holiday frequency between Barnstaple Bus Station and North Devon District Hospital is revised to every 60 minutes 

Service 21/21A (Ilfracombe to Westward Ho! / Appledore via Barnstaple and Bideford) 
Service 21C (Barnstaple to Croyde Bay / Georgeham via Braunton)
To coincide with the start of the summer season, the timetable for Service 21/21A and 21C will be enhanced between 2 April 2023 and 2 September 2023. Monday to Friday daytime, Service 21 will operate every 30 minutes between Ilfracombe and Westward Ho! and Service 21A will operate every 30 minutes between Barnstaple and Appledore. This will provide an enhanced 30 minute frequency to Ilfracombe, Westward Ho! and Appledore, as well as a 15 minute frequency between Barnstaple and Northam. 
Service 21C will be enhanced to operate every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime between Barnstaple and Croyde Bay, with one journey every two hours continuing to Georgeham. 
Journeys continuing to Georgeham will not serve West Meadow Road in Braunton.  

Saturday daytime, Services 21/21A combined will provide a 30 minute frequency between Ilfracombe and Barnstaple, a 15 minute frequency between Barnstaple and Bideford, a 30 minute frequency to Northam and then a 60 minute frequency to both Westward Ho! and Appledore. 
Combined with Service 21C, a 15 minute frequency will operate between Braunton and Barnstaple.

On Sunday and Public Holidays, Ilfracombe, Westward Ho! and Appledore will each be served every 60 minutes, with a combined 30 minute frequency between Barnstaple and Northam. The 21C timetable will be reinstated and buses will operate every 60 minutes during the main part of the day. The majority of journeys operating between Barnstaple and Croyde Bay will be operated by open top double decker vehicles, whereas journeys between Barnstaple and Georgeham will be operated by single decker vehicles. Combined with Service 21C, a 30 minute frequency will operate between Braunton and Barnstaple. 

During the evening each day of the week, Ilfracombe, Westward Ho! and Appledore will each be served every 60 minutes, with a combined 30 minute frequency between Barnstaple and Northam. For some journeys that involve travelling across Barnstaple in the evening, a change of bus may be required and the timetable should be checked for further details. 

Service 71 (Barnstaple to Great Torrington via Newton Tracey)
Following a review of capacity requirements on Service 71 with Devon County Council, there are some minor changes to the timetable. 
0815 Monday to Friday College Days journey from Torrington to Petroc will be withdrawn, however, alternative Service 71 (College Holidays and Saturdays) and Service 72 (College Days) journeys will continue to operate at the same times.  The 1720 Monday to Friday and Saturday journey from Torrington to Barnstaple will depart five minutes later at 1725. 
The 1645 Monday to Friday College Days journey from Petroc to Torringotn will be withdrawn, however, an alternative journey operates at 1635 from Barnstaple (1643 at Petroc) to Torrington. 

Service 72 (Barnstaple to Shebbear via Newton Tracey and Great Torrington)
Following a review of capacity requirements on Service 72 with Devon County Council, there are some minor changes to the timetable. The 1635 Monday to Friday College Days journey from Barnstaple to Shebbear will be withdrawn, however, there will continue to be a journey on Service 71 at 1635 from Barnstaple to Torrington. 

Service 75 (Londonderry Farm to Great Torrington via Bideford)
Alongside reliability improvements, the extension beyond Bideford Quay to Morrisons will be removed, however, other services will continue to provide this link. Bus stopping arrangements at Bideford Quay are simplified and departure times from Londonderry Farm are earlier in the majority of cases.  The terminal point in Great Torrington will be moved from Torrington School to Dartington Fields. The Monday to Friday Schoolday departures from Torrington School are changed to 1520 to better reflect the school finishing time and will operate directly to Torrington School and not serve Burwood Estate.

Service 85 (Barnstaple – Holsworthy - Tavistock)
Following working in partnership with Devon County Council, the Service 85 timetable will be enhanced from 2 April 2023. Service 85 will be extended beyond Holsworthy to Tavistock via Launceston, providing a number of new journey opportunities. The new timetable, operating Monday to Friday and Saturday, provides up to five journeys per day in each direction. 

Service 155 (Barnstaple to South Molton)
Changes are introduced to the departure times from Pottington to allow additional time at Barnstaple Bus Station. Barnstaple Railway Station will be additionally served on the 0727 Monday to Friday College Days journey from North Molton. An additional early evening journey is introduced from South Molton to Barnstaple at 2002 Monday to Saturdays, facilitating a connection via the last Service 346 arrival into South Molton.  The 0745 Monday to Friday journey from Pottington to South Molton Community College is revised to 0735 to facilitate an on-time arrival at the college. 

Service 185 (Bude to Holsworthy) 
Service 185, which contains one journey in each direction Monday to Saturday will be withdrawn as a result of changes to Service 85. 

Service 317 (Bideford to Okehampton) 
The 0605 Monday to Friday and Saturday journey from Great Torrington to Okehampton will be extended to start from Bideford 0543, providing an early first journey opportunity. 

Service 346 (South Molton to Tiverton)
There are some minor changes to early evening departure times, which are designed to facilitate improved connections with Service 55 at Tiverton. 

Very minor changes are also introduced to school services 815/821 (Park School) 903/904/921 (Pilton Community College) and 819/919 (Atlantic Academy) 

Plymouth Area
Service 1 (Plymouth to Tavistock via Derriford Hospital and George Park and Ride)
Service 1 between Plymouth and Tavistock will continue to operate every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime, with a 60 minute frequency on Sunday and Public Holidays. 

Journeys that currently operate between George Park and Ride and Plymouth City Centre will be extended to Sherford, following the current route of Service 2A between the City Centre and Sherford and will be re-numbered as new Service 1A. 

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

The introduction of Service 1A will increase the frequency of buses between Sherford and the City Centre from every 30 minutes to every 20 minutes, providing an additional journey opportunity every hour and a new direct link between Sherford and Derriford Hospital. Up to six buses per hour will be provided between Sherford and the City Centre with Service 1A and the changes to the GOLD and X38. 

Service 1A will operate every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime between Sherford and George Park and Ride via the City Centre and Derriford Hospital and during the evening and on Sunday and Public Holidays, every 60 minutes between Sherford and the City Centre only.  

Services 1 and 1A combined will continue to provide a service up to every 10 minutes between the City Centre and George Park and Ride via Derriford Hospital. The new service will replace short journeys on Service 1 between Plymouth City Centre and George Park and Ride and Service 2/2A between Plymouth City Centre and Sherford.  

Service X1 (Plymouth / DHS Schools to Tavistock)
The current duplicate bus operating alongside the morning journey will be withdrawn due to insufficient demand for two vehicles.  The afternoon will now start from DHS Boys and the departure time is amended to operate 20 minutes earlier at 1535 and will operate earlier throughout. 

Service 2 (Saltash to Mount Batten via City Centre)
Service 2 will continue to operate every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime and every 60 minutes in the evening and on Sunday and Public Holidays between Mount Batten and Saltash via City Centre. 

Service 2A (Saltash to Sherford via City Centre) 
Service 2A will be revised to operate between the City Centre and Saltash only, operating every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime and every 60 minutes during the evening and on Sunday and Public Holidays. The current section of route between Sherford and the City Centre will be served by new Service 1A, which will provide an enhanced level of service. 

Service 4/4A/4B/4C (City Centre to Plymstock via Saltram Meadow) 
Changes are introduced to the route of Services 4A and 4B, designed to reduce delays caused by inconsiderate parking and unsuitable roads. In Plymstock, Service 4A and 4B will operate a more direct routes, the 4A via Mount Batten Way and no longer serving Stanborough Road, Dunstone Drive and Under Lane.  Whilst the 4B will operate via Broadway East, Dunstone Drive and Springfield Road and no longer serving Southernway and Stentaway Drive. In addition, Service 4B will no longer serve Nightingale Close due to extremely low passenger demand. 

Service 52 (Plympton to Derriford Hospital)
To coincide with the opening of the Forder Valley Link Road, the route of Service 52 will be amended from 2 April 2023.  Service 52 will serve Coypool Park and Ride and then operate via the Forder Valley Link Road to Derriford Hospital and will therefore no longer serve Leigham and Estover. This route change will provide a new direct link between Coypool Park and Ride and Derriford Hospital. 
Some departure times are amended to facilitate the above route change and to avoid congestion at Coypool Park and Ride. 

Service X38 (Plymouth to Exeter via Buckfastleigh)
The route within Plymouth will be amended to operate via Elburton and Sherford using Billacombe Road, Elburton Road and Hercules Road, and no longer operating via the A374. The new route will provide a number of new journey opportunities.
Service X38 will additionally serve Matford Park and Ride in Exeter, which follows requests from passengers and provides a number of new journey opportunities. 

Service 200 (City Centre to Coypool Park and Ride)
Minor changes to the timetable to improve punctuality. 

Service GOLD (Plymouth to Paignton via Totnes) 
The route within Plymouth will be amended to operate via Elburton and Sherford using Billacombe Road, Elburton Road and Hercules Road, and no longer operating via the A374. The new route will provide a number of new journey opportunities. Following a review of demand for evening journeys, some Monday to Friday journeys (2110 from Plymouth to Paignton, 2210 from Plymouth to Totnes and 2245 from Paignton to Plymouth) will be withdrawn, however, these journeys will continue to operate on a Saturday evening. 

Dartmouth
Service 90 (Dartmouth to Townstall) 
Minor changes to the timetable to improve punctuality. 

Service 91 (Dartmouth Park and Ride) – 25 March 2023 
Service resumes for the 2023 season from Saturday 25 March 2023 and will operate until Sunday 29 October 2023. Buses operates every 10 minutes during school holidays and every 20 minutes during school terms and operates 7 days per week.  

Service 92 (Dartmouth to Totnes) 
Minor changes to the timetable to improve punctuality. 

More information is available via the Stagecoach website here: https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south-west/south-west-timetables