I agree. It does however act as a major deterrent, or 'barrier to travel' to use industry phrases. It's a bit different going between frequent services or an infrequent to a frequent. But to go from an unreliable infrequent route to another unreliable infrequent route, with no stated guarantee about the connection, the few who would make the journey, aren't given much confidence.
I appreciate the sentiment but let's keep it in perspective. This is a connection that very few people use, and very few used the through facility. I don't like forced interchange (for ideological reasons) but you can't have direct services all the time.
Stuffed as in it could ruin the rest of your day. In my case, this connection here could have ruined my chances of getting on the Exmoor Coaster on short break I had. Had this connection not worked, even with plenty of buffer time that I had accounted for, there seemed to be a fair bit of late running and so if the next bus was late, I would have missed connections. For others may be planning to meet up or visit someone and if this connection failed, it could mean less time together or lead to them cancelling the trip because of the poor connections. You have facilities there but it doesn't really make up for the loss to the rest of your day.
As someone who undertakes similar trips, I do understand. I did the original EXMO in 2021and the improved one last year, and both time did it from EXMO via Barnstaple to Tiverton experiencing the 155/346 last year. I do many trips and, in one instance I've recounted in the past, had to get a taxi from Abergavenny to Chepstow as an earlier connection on the T4 had been late in Brecon. However, those of us and the trips we do are atypical. I'd add that with any sort of connection on a service that is less than every 15 mins frequency (and certainly hourly and more), it's a difficult balance to strike. Have too small a window, and it may be vulnerable to delay. To large a window and a) people complain and b) if the wheels ain't turning, the bus ain't earning.
In answer to
@embers25 original comments, I think it was fairly understandable why the 346 was a Solo route. The loadings don't demand anything else. Now you're going to have a 346 trundling around with decker burning up twice the fuel.
