News bus timetable announced by Stagecoach

Stagecoach has announced new bus timetables across Devon from next month with some services being extended, but others will be reduced.

Exeter will see several bus services being enhanced and extra journeys introduced in partnership with Devon County Council, with a number of high-frequency bus corridors being introduced. Seasonal changes will also come into force. This will see the company’s open tops routes timetables adjusted accordingly.

The new timetable comes into force on Sunday 3rd September. Among the changes in Exeter, services A and E1/E2 will be increased to provide eight buses per hour between the City Centre and St Thomas from Monday to Saturday. Service 4 will be increased across the week from Monday to Friday daytimes from every 20 minutes to every 12 minutes.

Following the award of a new tender from Devon County Council, a new service 58A will be introduced, operating between Exmouth and Exeter St David's, 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.

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

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 the 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 the 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 the 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 the punctuality of the service.