I’m very pleased that evening bus services serving Sidbury and Ottery St Mary will be reinstated after many meetings with Stagecoach.

I’ve been raising local concerns with Stagecoach Managing Director, Peter Knight, and Devon County Council after the frequency of services was reduced on some routes.

Service 9 between Sidmouth & Honiton runs through the village of Sidbury. A petition last year demanded the return of evening buses after 7pm. I understand why. It's an important route for shift workers to get home at the end of the day, and residents to get to restaurants and pubs like Sidbury's brilliant Red Lion Inn.

From 3rd September, additional and later last journeys will operate Monday to Saturday evenings at 22:10 from Sidmouth to Honiton and at 21:30 from Honiton to Sidmouth.

Service 44 is no less important for residents of Ottery St Mary, particular those who commute to and from Exeter. Passengers got in touch with me to lament the early final service from the city.

From 3rd September, additional and later last journeys will operate Monday to Saturday evenings at 20:30 from Exeter to Honiton and at 22:45 from Honiton to Exeter.

The popular Exeter to Exmouth bus route is served by Service 57, and I successfully campaigned to reinstate buses to run every 15 minutes. I'm pleased further improvements are planned from September to this important route. Extra journeys will be provided at peak times Monday to Friday towards Exeter. A new Service 58A will run between Exmouth and Exeter St David’s, providing new and direct peak time journeys for commuters and students.

I know Stagecoach found last year challenging. They needed to recruit enough bus drivers to replace some who had left to work for delivery companies.

This Conservative government is helping Devon County Council to support bus routes in Devon with an extra £1.6m of additional government funding. And to keep fares down, the government will continue to cap single bus tickets at £2 until the end of October.

I will continue to focus on protecting important services that our towns and villages in East Devon rely on.