New bus network confirmed for Exeter to reflect post-pandemic travel patterns

Stagecoach has today unveiled plans for a more sustainable bus network to attract greater passenger numbers over the long term.

Changes are confirmed for Exeter today, in the first step toward a new bus network, reflecting the changed travel patterns following the Covid-19 pandemic.

The changes in Exeter, developed in consultation with Devon County Council, will be effective from 31 July 2022 and include the following:

  • Exeter Park & Ride services timing changes
  • Redesigned connections from the city centre to Exminster and Pinhoe / Science Park, affecting routes B/2B, L and K
  • Enhancement to services between Exeter and Cranbrook, with a redesigned service for journeys onto Honiton and Axminster, affecting routes 4/4A/4B. Changes will also take place beyond Seaton on and route 9A.
  • Simplified services between Tiverton / Cullompton and Exeter, affecting routes 1/1A/1C
  • Exeter Night Buses will be withdrawn until the autumn with Devon County Council looking at the feasibility of an alternative solution
  • Some minor changes to the location of stand departures at Exeter Bus Station
  • A frequency change to Route 56 connecting the city centre to Exeter Airport

Stagecoach Soth West Managing Director Mike Watson said: “We have designed a new core Package of services to provide a sustainable bus network now, so that we can grow services over the long term. “In addition to this, with the current nationwide shortage of bus drivers, we need to concentrate our resource on the services where demand is greatest to ensure that vital journeys and connections are maintained and to provide a network that best meets the changing needs of the communities we serve." 

“Buses remain fundamental to daily life in Britain. Looking ahead, they are also critical to helping achieve a green economic recovery, tackling climate change, ensuring cleaner air, and supporting connected communities.

“We will be working together with national and local government to attract more people out of their cars and onto more sustainable public transport. The more people who switch to bus, the stronger our networks will be. It can generate vital investment for more electric vehicles, helps keep fares low and ultimately will help us to expand the bus network to meet new demand.”

Bus industry figures show that if everyone in the UK switched 1 in every 25 car journeys to bus it could deliver a saving of 2 million tonnes of carbon emissions a year.

The changes in detail are as follows

EXETER PARK & RIDE SERVICES

Service Green (Matford Park & Ride – Sowton Park & Ride via City Centre): The route will operate up to every 20 minutes, Monday to Friday and Saturday daytimes. On weekdays buses will no longer operate beyond Sowton Park and Ride to Sowton Industrial Estate due to low passenger demand. Where possible, the route is timed to co-ordinate with the timetable for Service B1/B2 over the common section of route. There are also some minor changes to the timetable at the start and end of the operating day.

Service Red (City Centre – Honiton Road Park & Ride): On weekdays and Saturday daytime, the frequency is increased to operate up to every 20 minutes. Where possible, buses are co-ordinated with Service 4 to provide a 10 minute frequency throughout the day between the City Centre and Honiton Road Park and Ride. In addition to this, passengers will now be able to catch the service from all stops along the route, as the route will no longer be a limited stop service. Service will no longer operate on Sundays and Public Holidays timetable, however, passengers will be able to catch Service 4, which will operate an enhanced timetable every 30 minutes.

REDESIGNED CONNECTIONS FROM THE CITY CENTRE TO EXMINSTER AND PINHOE / SCIENCE PARK

Service B/2B (Exeter - Exminster)

Service K (City Centre – Whipton – Science Park)

Service L (City Centre – Pinhoe)

Services B/2B, K and L will be replaced by new Service B1/B2providing new cross city connections for customers. 

Service B1 will operate between Exminster and Pinhoe via City Centre, hourly, and Service B2 operating between Exminster and Science Park via City Centre, hourly. The new routes will provide a combined 30 minute frequency between Exminster and the City Centre on weekdays and Saturday daytimes.

Service B1 will operate hourly during the evening Monday to Saturday and during the day on Sundays and Public Holidays. Evenings and on Sundays, buses will operate between the City Centre and Pinhoe only.  Service B1/B2 will serve Exeter High Street in both directions and will not serve Exeter Bus Station.

The current section of route 2B between Exminster and Dawlish / Teignmouth will be withdrawn, with the exception of two weekday AM peak journeys towards Exeter and two weekday PM peak journeys towards Dawlish / Teignmouth. The new routes are designed, however,  to co-ordinate with Service 2 between Exeter and Exminster, which will facilitate connections for travel to and from Dawlish.

SIMPLIFIED SERVICES BETWEEN TIVERTON / CULLOMPTON AND EXETER

Journeys between Tiverton / Cullompton and Exeter will be operated by a simpler Route 1, with journeys to Halberton, Sampford Peverall, Tiverton Parkway, Uffculme, Willand now available by new route 373

Service 1/1A/1C (Exeter – Tiverton via Cullompton and Willand)

Passengers will be offered a simpler service; Route 1, operating up to every 20 minutes Mondays to Saturdays, between Cullompton and Exeter. Buses will follow a consistent routing in Cullompton, via Exeter Road, with passengers in Bradninch seeing an increased frequency from 30 minutes to 20 minutes.

Monday to Saturday daytimes, an hourly journey will extend beyond Cullompton to Tiverton, operating via the current Service 1A route and will therefore not serve Uffculme, Tiverton Parkway or Sampford Peverell.

There are either no or minor changes to the evening and Sunday / Public Holidays timetable.  

Service 373 (Tiverton – Cullompton)

New Service 373, will be introduced between Tiverton and Cullompton under contract to Devon County Council.  11 journeys will operate daily in each direction, Monday to Saturday, between Tiverton and Cullompton via Halberton, Sampford Peverall, Tiverton Parkway, Uffculme, Willand and Kings Oak Lea Estate in Cullompton. 

Weekday journeys are timed to facilitate school movements to and from Uffculme School.

Day, week, 28 day, 13 week and annual tickets valid for use on the Stagecoach network will be valid for travel on Service 373.

CHANGES TO SERVICES BETWEEN EXETER AND CRANBROOK AND BEYOND

Journeys between Cranbrook and Exeter will be operated by an enhanced Route 4, with journeys to Honiton and Axminster now available by new routes 44/44A.

Service 4/4A/4B (Exeter – Axminster via Cranbrook and Honiton)

Service 4 will operate every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday daytimes between Exeter and Cranbrook only and will operate a co-ordinated timetable with Service Red, to provide a combined 10 minute frequency over the common section of route.  Buses will operate hourly during the evening, with only minor changes to the current evening timetable. Stagecoach are also looking to operate double deckers vehicles on Service 4 in the future to provide additional capacity.

On Sundays and Public Holidays, buses will operate every 30 minutes during the day offering double the frequency of departures to and from Cranbrook.

Service will no longer operate beyond Cranbrook, with alternative journeys from Exeter to Honiton and Axminster offered by new service 44/44A.

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

New Service 44/44A will operate between Exeter and Honiton / Axminster under contract to Devon County Council, providing a replacement for current Service 4/4A/4B.

Service 44 will operate hourly,  Monday to Saturday daytime between Exeter and Honiton via Cranbrook (London Road), Rockbeare, Marsh Green and Ottery St Mary. Some journeys on Service 44 will additionally serve Gittisham.

Service 44A will operate up to 6 journeys per day in each direction Monday to Saturday daytimes between Exeter and Axminister, operating via Cranbrook (London Road), Whimple, Ottery St Mary, Honiton and Wilmington.

On Sunday and Public Holidays, there will be two journeys in each direction on Service 44A between Exeter and Honiton.

Day, week, 28 day, 13 week and annual tickets valid for use on the Stagecoach network will be valid for travel on Service 44/44A.

Service 9/9A (Exeter – Honiton / Lyme Regis via Sidmouth)

Service 9A will no longer serve the section of route beyond Seaton to Lyme Regis. Service between Seaton and Lyme Regis will be provided by another operator, with 5 journeys daily (Mon-Sat) in the Summer and 2 (Mon-Fri) in the Winter Seaton, further details are available from the relevant local transport authority.

The Monday to Saturday evening frequency will be adjusted from hourly to every 90 minutes.

On Sundays and Public Holidays, Service 9A will operate up to every 60 minutes between Exeter and Seaton during the day. There will be two journeys in each direction on Sunday and Public Holidays on Service 9 between Sidmouth and Honiton, which will operate under contract to Devon County Council.

EXETER NIGHT BUSES

Following an initial period of operation since April, it has been agreed that night bus journeys operating on Friday and Saturday nights (early hours of Saturday and Sunday morning) between approximately 2400 and 0400 will be withdrawn on the following routes.  Devon County Council will be reviewing the services with the hope to relaunch in the Autumn.

  • Service A (Alphington - Thornpark Rise via City Centre)
  • Service E1/E2 (City Centre – Exwick)
  • Service I (City Centre – Digby)
  • Service J (City Centre – Digby) 
  • Service L (City Centre – Pinhoe)

CHANGES TO DEPARTURE STANDS AT EXETER BUS STATION

There will be some changes to the stand departures at Exeter bus station, to allow a smoother boarding experience for passengers.

1

7

RD&E Hospital  • Kingsteignton  • Newton Abbot • Totnes
 

X38

RD&E Hospital  • Ashburton  • Buckfastleigh  • Ivybridge • Plymouth

2

39

RD&E Hospital  • Chudleigh  • Bovey Tracey • Newton Abbot

3

4

Honiton Road Park & Ride • Cranbrook

4

57

RD&E Hospital  • Topsham  • Lympstone  • Exmouth  • Brixington

5

2

RD&E Hospital  • Exminster • Dawlish • Teignmouth  • Newton Abbot

6

44

Honiton Road Park & Ride • Cranbrook (London Road) • Rockbeare • Marsh Green  • Ottery St Mary • Honiton
 

44A

Honiton Road Park & Ride • Cranbrook (London Road) • Whimple • Ottery St Mary  • Honiton  • Wilmington • Axminister

7

5

Crediton • Westernlea
 

5A

Crediton • Copplestone • North Tawton • Jacobstowe • Hatherleigh  • Okehampton
 

5B

Crediton • Copplestone • North Tawton • Winkleigh • Torrington • Bideford  • Fremington • Barnstaple
 

5C

Crediton  • Copplestone  • Lapford • Chawleigh  • Chumleigh 

8

55

Cowley Bridge  • Stoke Canon  • Rewe • Tiverton
 

55A

Silverton • Tiverton • Cowleymoor
 

55B

Thorverton  • Silverton • Tiverton
 

155

Tiverton • Witheridge • South Molton • Swimbridge • Barnstaple

9

9

Sidmouth  • Sidford  • Honiton
 

9A

Sidmouth • Sidford • Seaton

10

6

Cheriton Cross • Okehampton • Holsworthy • Bude
 

6A

Cheriton Cross • Okehampton • Launceston • Bude

11

1

Broadclyst • Bradninch • Cullompton • Willand • Halberton • Tiverton

12

58

Brixington  • Budleigh Salterton 
 

95

Topsham • Lympstone • Exmouth  • Sandy Bay • Open Top Bus - Seasonal

Departures from Stands 2, 5 and 12 remain unchanged. The B1 / B2 will no longer serve the bus station towards Exminster and will go via high street in both directions

IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE:

Service UNI (Streatham – St Lukes via City Centre) Service is suspended for the summer holidays (commencing 31 July 2022) and a new timetable will apply from the start of the new academic year, which starts from Monday 26 September 2022.

Service 56/56A/56B/56E (Exeter – Exmouth via Exeter Airport) Service will be revised to operate every 60 minutes between Exeter and Exmouth via Exeter Airport.  There will be a number of other minor changes to the timetable.

Service 58 (Exeter –Budleigh Salterton via Lympstone) Service 58C journeys service is suspended for the summer holidays, however, will not be re-starting in September.

To view the new network map, visit: https://tiscon-maps-stagecoachbus.s3.amazonaws.com/ZoneMaps/South%20West/Exeter2022_JULY.pdf

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