Stagecoach South West - Fleet News & Discussion

[embers25]

The F1 and F2 will provide a service along Prince Charles Road to cover that gap.
The E follows the E1 route all round the Exwick loop and back as far as the Fairhazel Drive stop on Exwick Road. It then turns left (without stopping) at Thatched Houe onto Winchester Avenue and then left onto Gloucester Road, picking up the E1 route again at Peterborough Road. So Thatched House, Foxhayes Road and Landhayes Road bus stops will lose their service unless something else covers it I can't see.

 

[Xavi]

The F1 and F2 will provide a service along Prince Charles Road to cover that gap.
The E follows the E1 route all round the Exwick loop and back as far as the Fairhazel Drive stop on Exwick Road. It then turns left (without stopping) at Thatched Houe onto Winchester Avenue and then left onto Gloucester Road, picking up the E1 route again at Peterborough Road. So Thatched House, Foxhayes Road and Landhayes Road bus stops will lose their service unless something else covers it I can't see.

Presumably a stop would be introduced on Winchester Avenue. Won't be popular though - too long a one-way loop, like the one on the P.

 

[henryb]

It also looks like the 4 will run to the UNI Via St David’s?

 

[embers25]

It also looks like the 4 will run to the UNI Via St David’s?

Like the H used to, which would make sense although whenever the 4 is late, which is often is, it's likely to be curtailed in town (as now) or St David's and so how many make it to Uni will be interesting! According to Travelinesw there is no stop on Winchester Avenue but you would hope common sense prevails.

The P going round Lancelot Road, Stoke Hill and Pennsylvania on evenings and Sundays adds quite a bit of time to the trip in theory and the 31 min journey time feels wildly optimistic. That being said it will only serve the front bit of Pennsylvania along Collins Road and so won't do most of the loop which seems a sensible compromise to at least still serve some of the old P route. I assume the K will be mon-sat off peak only, but time will tell.

 

[Bornin1980s]

Will any buses other than the new E visit Exwick?

 

[150249]

Will any buses other than the new E visit Exwick?

That's what we are trying to work out I think. All very wishy-washy

 

[embers25]

Will any buses other than the new E visit Exwick?

No based on what we know so far. Buses looping one way makes sense to stop buses meeting on the narrow loop road but means longer journeys for many.

 

[150249]

No based on what we know so far. Buses looping one way makes sense to stop buses meeting on the narrow loop road but means longer journeys for many.

The problem is it doesn't seem to loop one way. It cuts off a lot of the loop

 

[embers25]

It cuts 3 stops, meaning a potential 500m walk at worst. Far from ideal but could have been worse and, if they do add a stop on Winchester Ave that will mitigate the issue a little.

 

[150249]

Facebook is always the worst source of information but a man that works for Stagecoach claims that Torquay are due 48162-171, Exeter are due 48175-179 and Barnstaple are due 48180-184. Oddly enough, 172-174 are currently allocated to Stroud

 

[sbrignall72]

Does anyone know where 48151 to 161 are going then. Are there more after 48174.

 

[150249]

Stagecoach South West are getting 175-184 I believe

 

[gka472l]

Stagecoach South West are getting 175-184 I believe

48162-48171 are down for Torquay.....

 

[Russel]

Is the 122 open top service not serving Torquay this year, bus times suggests it's just Paignton - Godrington this year...

Shame, with that and the 222 gone, they've really pruned back the open top operations this year.

 

[150249]

48162-48171 are down for Torquay.....

Yes I said that earlier. Someone just asked if there were more after 174

 

[embers25]

Further times now on travelinsw. Selection below (not all as there are some other Barnstaple, Torbay and Plymouth ones):

21 and 21A combine to run every 20 mins from Barnstaple to Northam with 2 an hour continuing to Westward Ho! and one an hour to Appledore, so Appledore loses one bus an hour and frequency cut from every 15 to 20 on the core route.
New 21B replacing the 21 and running every 30 mins Barnstaple Rail Station to Ilfracombe
21C back to hourly winter timetable
155 minor changes except Mill on the Mole extension reduced to 2 hourly. This is to allow for the change to the 346 which now leaves South Molton 10 mins earlier and so there isn't time for the Mill extension as the driver changes from the 155 to the 346.
157 can't see much change
24 to Taunton sped up by 5-7 minutes which was needed as it gets far too much running time
301 minor running time adjustments
360 first journey from Exeter runs later and so it now returns from Bridford and Christow at/after 0930 which will work better from pensioners
4 extended to Uni (Mon to Sat only) and increased in the evening to every 30 mins Mon-Sat. Stopping both sides of the road in both directions outside Exeter College will cause much confusion I suspect.
4A appears unchanged
44/44a minor running time changes
6 minor timing changes
6A major cut of 3 buses a day so only 4 on Saturday now. I guess the trial extra services failed due to the much faster train unsurprisingly
6B once a day Tavistock-Okehampton down the main road not via Lydford
B increased to every 20 mins Mon-Fri
I/J increased to every 20 mins Mon-Fri and diversion to serve Digby and Sown station dropped
K hourly Cowley Bridge (West Garth Road) - High Street - Pennsylvania hourly and no evenings or Sundays. Covers existing F to town and existing P route town to Pennsylvania

So to confirm, there are no further Exwick buses and service to those 3 stops will be lost.

 

[150249]

Further times now on travelinsw. Selection below (not all as there are some other Barnstaple, Torbay and Plymouth ones):

21 and 21A combine to run every 20 mins from Barnstaple to Northam with 2 an hour continuing to Westward Ho! and one an hour to Appledore, so Appledore loses one bus an hour and frequency cut from every 15 to 20 on the core route.
New 21B replacing the 21 and running every 30 mins Barnstaple Rail Station to Ilfracombe
21C back to hourly winter timetable
155 minor changes except Mill on the Mole extension reduced to 2 hourly. This is to allow for the change to the 346 which now leaves South Molton 10 mins earlier and so there isn't time for the Mill extension as the driver changes from the 155 to the 346.
157 can't see much change
24 to Taunton sped up by 5-7 minutes which was needed as it gets far too much running time
301 minor running time adjustments
360 first journey from Exeter runs later and so it now returns from Bridford and Christow at/after 0930 which will work better from pensioners
4 extended to Uni (Mon to Sat only) and increased in the evening to every 30 mins Mon-Sat. Stopping both sides of the road in both directions outside Exeter College will cause much confusion I suspect.
4A appears unchanged
44/44a minor running time changes
6 minor timing changes
6A major cut of 3 buses a day so only 4 on Saturday now. I guess the trial extra services failed due to the much faster train unsurprisingly
6B once a day Tavistock-Okehampton down the main road not via Lydford
B increased to every 20 mins Mon-Fri
I/J increased to every 20 mins Mon-Fri and diversion to serve Digby and Sown station dropped
K hourly Cowley Bridge (West Garth Road) - High Street - Pennsylvania hourly and no evenings or Sundays. Covers existing F to town and existing P route town to Pennsylvania

So to confirm, there are no further Exwick buses and service to those 3 stops will be lost.

Thank you, this is all very helpful


Am I dreaming or are stagecoach actually increasing services and taking customers into account??

Wait no they've extended the 4 to the Uni which will cause extreme confusion


I'm surprised about the I/J increase. I've been on these routes before and I've never seen any more than 9 or 10 people on them. If anything was in dire need of a service boost it would be the R/S.

 

[Xavi]

So to confirm, there are no further Exwick buses and service to those 3 stops will be lost.

Very poor after 75+ years. The new loop is way too long as well, a very poor business decision and passenger numbers will decline.

 

[150249]

Very poor after 75+ years. The new loop is way too long as well, a very poor business decision and passenger numbers will decline.

Will this mean the E will turn up Winchester Avenue?

 

[padbus]

I'm surprised about the I/J increase. I've been on these routes before and I've never seen any more than 9 or 10 people on them. If anything was in dire need of a service boost it would be the R/S.

The last I that I travelled on was full and standing. The load included a mobility scooter and rider, two shopping trolleys, two dogs and a wheeled walking aid. My experience of the I/J generally is that they are usually busy between Whipton Barton and Countess Wear which had a 10 minute frequency pre-covid. The rest can be quieter but if the outer ends of bus routes were busy there would not be room for shorter distance passengers to join en-route.

 

[150249]

The last I that I travelled on was full and standing. The load included a mobility scooter and rider, two shopping trolleys, two dogs and a wheeled walking aid. My experience of the I/J generally is that they are usually busy between Whipton Barton and Countess Wear which had a 10 minute frequency pre-covid. The rest can be quieter but if the outer ends of bus routes were busy there would not be room for shorter distance passengers to join en-route.

I guess it might be significantly quieter around 3 or 4 in the afternoon when I used the routes

 

[henryb]

Further times now on travelinsw. Selection below (not all as there are some other Barnstaple, Torbay and Plymouth ones):

21 and 21A combine to run every 20 mins from Barnstaple to Northam with 2 an hour continuing to Westward Ho! and one an hour to Appledore, so Appledore loses one bus an hour and frequency cut from every 15 to 20 on the core route.
New 21B replacing the 21 and running every 30 mins Barnstaple Rail Station to Ilfracombe
21C back to hourly winter timetable
155 minor changes except Mill on the Mole extension reduced to 2 hourly. This is to allow for the change to the 346 which now leaves South Molton 10 mins earlier and so there isn't time for the Mill extension as the driver changes from the 155 to the 346.
157 can't see much change
24 to Taunton sped up by 5-7 minutes which was needed as it gets far too much running time
301 minor running time adjustments
360 first journey from Exeter runs later and so it now returns from Bridford and Christow at/after 0930 which will work better from pensioners
4 extended to Uni (Mon to Sat only) and increased in the evening to every 30 mins Mon-Sat. Stopping both sides of the road in both directions outside Exeter College will cause much confusion I suspect.
4A appears unchanged
44/44a minor running time changes
6 minor timing changes
6A major cut of 3 buses a day so only 4 on Saturday now. I guess the trial extra services failed due to the much faster train unsurprisingly
6B once a day Tavistock-Okehampton down the main road not via Lydford
B increased to every 20 mins Mon-Fri
I/J increased to every 20 mins Mon-Fri and diversion to serve Digby and Sown station dropped
K hourly Cowley Bridge (West Garth Road) - High Street - Pennsylvania hourly and no evenings or Sundays. Covers existing F to town and existing P route town to Pennsylvania

So to confirm, there are no further Exwick buses and service to those 3 stops will be lost.

Can you link the 4 timetable?

 

[richw]

Facebook is always the worst source of information but a man that works for Stagecoach claims that Torquay are due 48162-171, Exeter are due 48175-179 and Barnstaple are due 48180-184. Oddly enough, 172-174 are currently allocated to Stroud

On the last official list I seen 48162-48171 are now Barnstaple due across the first 3 weeks of September
48175-48177 Torquay due start of October
48178-48184 Plymouth due mid 2 weeks of October

 

[150249]

On the last official list I seen 48162-48171 are now Barnstaple due across the first 3 weeks of September
48175-48177 Torquay due start of October
48178-48184 Plymouth due mid 2 weeks of October

When did you see that? I'm just going off what a man who works for stagecoach said

 

[embers25]

I guess it might be significantly quieter around 3 or 4 in the afternoon when I used the routes

Living by the B, I/J and R I can confirm the frequency upgrade is needed for the I/J. Not sure about the B though but I wonder if thats partly developer funding? The A ran on double the R/S frequency to Thornpark Rise so I agree an uplift would be helpful. The issue is that much of the rest of the route doesn't need more than every 30.

 

[150249]

Living by the B, I/J and R I can confirm the frequency upgrade is needed for the I/J. Not sure about the B though but I wonder if thats partly developer funding? The A ran on double the R/S frequency to Thornpark Rise so I agree an uplift would be helpful. The issue is that much of the rest of the route doesn't need more than every 30.

The B definitely needs a boost. Either that or all deckers. I was on 36229 yesterday and it was full and standing

 

[Xavi]

Will this mean the E will turn up Winchester Avenue?

Yes, hard to believe that The Thatch stop is being removed. There’s always a lot of elderly passengers there. Winchester Avenue (hopefully with a stop) is back to the 70s when the O service that did a (much more sensible) loop including Fairhazel Drive before Lichfield Road and Kinnerton Way were served.

 

[150249]

Yes, hard to believe that The Thatch stop is being removed. There’s always a lot of elderly passengers there. Winchester Avenue (hopefully with a stop) is back to the 70s when the O service that did a (much more sensible) loop including Fairhazel Drive before Lichfield Road and Kinnerton Way were served.

I assume it will still be served by the 985 school route.

 

[83G/84D]

On the last official list I seen 48162-48171 are now Barnstaple due across the first 3 weeks of September
48175-48177 Torquay due start of October
48178-48184 Plymouth due mid 2 weeks of October

Thanks for that, I'd better get some last photo's of the remaining old Solo's soon then.

 

[embers25]

The B definitely needs a boost. Either that or all deckers. I was on 36229 yesterday and it was full and standing

The B is only busy High St to Whipton if it is in front of a J or I, otherwise it carries air. The new timetables have finally been almost coordinated so the B and I combine for every 10 Whipton to town Mon to Fri and every 15 Sat. This compares with 2 at the same time every 30 at present, so should make a huge difference. Even Sunday is better with every 30 one way but still 2 every hour at the same time the other.