Bus services to Cranbrook launch next week

New bus services linking to Cranbrook will be launched next week. The Services 4, 4A and 4B will be introduced on Tuesday (28 May) and will replace services 60, 60A, 60B, X60 and 380 on the route between Exeter, Clyst Honiton, Cranbrook, Ottery St. Mary, Honiton and Axminster.

Devon County Council is using developer contributions to fund the services, and its existing funding for Service 380 along this route will also continue towards the additional services.

There will be a half-hourly service between Exeter and Cranbrook, with most buses continuing to Ottery St Mary and Honiton.

Beyond Cranbrook, one bus each hour (Service 4) will continue via Whimple Hand & Pen, Ottery St Mary,  Alfington, Heathpark, Honiton, Wilmington, Kilmington and Axminster to Millwey Rise and one each hour  (Service 4A) will continue via Rockbeare, Marsh Green, West Hill, Ottery St Mary, Alfington, Heathpark and Rosemount Lane to Honiton. Some of these buses also serve Gittisham.

Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Economy and Growth, said: "I'm sure the residents of Cranbrook will welcome this new Service 4 which will provide regular access to Exeter and a large part of East Devon, and it demonstrates another of the benefits from the development of Exeter and East Growth Point and the new community. But it's not just passengers from Cranbrook that will benefit. The service will also be a major improvement for passengers in a number of East Devon communities, and with more regular services and later times, it should provide a realistic and convenient option for anyone travelling along this route, whether it's for journey to work or to get to the local shops."

The services will be operated by Stagecoach, who successfully won the competitive tender.

Michelle Hargreaves, Managing Director of Stagecoach South West, added: "We're delighted to be able to start offering Cranbrook residents a bus service and hope that they will find it convenient and useful. As Andrew has already mentioned, the new 4 service also benefits those living in and around Ottery St Mary, Honiton and Axminster by providing better connections into Exeter than they have previously had. We look forward to welcoming everyone aboard."

In Honiton, service increases from two hourly to twice an hour. All journeys will pass the railway station. Journeys terminating at Honiton will operate a one-way loop via Rosemount Lane and Littletown Road into Honiton. In the morning there are several additional buses to Ottery St. Mary and Exeter. There are also later buses from Exeter at 17.40, 1801 and 21.10.

In Ottery St Mary the service increases from hourly to two per hour and a new journey arriving in Exeter at 0850 will provide additional capacity. There is also a later bus from Exeter at 21.10.
The service at Clyst Honiton will increase to half-hourly. All buses will operate via the old A30, but the old school will no longer be served.

West Hill retains an hourly service but in Gittisham the service level is reduced from six to four buses towards Exeter and from six to five from Exeter.

There are no Sunday buses for the first year of the service.

For timetable details visit www.stagecoachbus.com