Stagecoach South West has today (Monday March 11) announced changes across its network.

The new timetable will be introduced this spring. Stagecoach says that 'timetables will see improvements to offer customers a more reliable and punctual service.

'In addition to providing more robust timetables, some routes will offer more frequent connections and in some areas journeys to new destinations are provided.'

Stagecoach South West Managing Director Peter Knight said: ‘We look forward to being able to offer more robust timetables for our customers this spring. It has become increasingly challenging to be able to run our services reliably with multiple roadworks and congestion related delays. Roadworks and the performance of the highway are now the biggest challenge to us being able to provide reliable bus services in Devon. We are working closely with our partners at Devon County Council to try and improve this for customers travelling in the region.’

Full details of the services changing are provided below and timetable are available from: https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south-west/south-west-timetables

Service 4 (Exeter St Davids – Cranbrook via City Centre and Honiton Road Park and Ride)

Timing changes are introduced each day to improve reliability and punctuality.

Following a review of passenger demand, the frequency of buses Monday to Friday between approximately 0930-1500 will be adjusted from every 12 minutes to every 15 minutes and during the evening to every 40 minutes, providing a more reliable and punctual service.

Service 4A (Exeter St Davids – Exeter Airport via City Centre and Honiton Road Park and Ride)

Timing changes are introduced each day to improve reliability and punctuality.

1415 Monday to Friday journey from Exeter St Davids to Honiton Road Park and Ride will be withdrawn, however, alternative journey options are available.

Service 9/9A (Exeter – Honiton / Seaton)

Timing changes are introduced Monday to Sunday to improve reliability and punctuality and to provide a more even spread of departures.

For operational reasons, there will be a change to the route within Exeter, with buses operating via Honiton Road Park and Ride and Moor Lane, as opposed to Sidmouth Road and Sowton Park and Ride. New bus stops will be provided on Moor Lane, to provide a number of new journey opportunities. Connections with the Falcon will be available at Honiton Road Park and Ride and passengers travelling to and from Sowton Park and Ride will be able to use Service Green.

A number of journeys are retimed and please check the new timetable carefully before travelling.

Monday to Friday journeys at 0650, 0830 and 1405 from Exeter to Sidmouth and at 0850 from Sidmouth to Exeter will be withdrawn. The 0730 journey from Sidmouth to Exeter is extended to start from Sidbury.

Service X30 (Exeter – Seaton)

Timing changes are introduced each day to improve reliability and punctuality.

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

Timing changes are introduced each day to improve reliability and punctuality.

On Monday to Saturday Service 44A journeys from Exeter to Honiton at 2030 and on Saturdays at 1515 from Honiton to Exeter will be revised to follow the standard route not serving Cranbrook.

Monday to Saturday additional Service 44A journeys will operate at 1815 from Honiton to Exeter and 1910 from Axminster to Honiton.

Service 57 (Exeter – Brixington via Topsham and Exmouth)

Timing changes are introduced each day to improve reliability and punctuality.

Following a review of data and surveys on reliability, punctuality and passenger flows and demand, significant changes to the route and timetable are introduced. With low demand for travel across Exmouth, the route will be separated in Exmouth Town Centre to ensure passengers will benefit from a more reliable and punctual service.

Service 57 will operate between Exeter Bus Station and Exmouth Parade only. The section of route between Exmouth Parade and Brixington will be covered by a new Service 99.

During the early morning and late evening, some Service 57 journeys will continue on to operate as new Service 99 and therefore at these times, a through service to Brixington will continue to be provided.

To ensure a robust timetable can be operated the Monday to Saturday daytime frequency will be adjusted to operate every 20 minutes. There are no changes to the frequency of buses during the evening or on Sunday and Public Holidays.

A small number of school day only journeys will be removed from the timetable.

Service 58/58A (Exeter – Exmouth)

Timing changes are introduced Monday to Saturday to improve reliability and punctuality

Service 95 (Exmouth – Sandy Bay) – 24 March 2024

Timing changes are introduced each day to improve reliability and punctuality. To achieve this and better reflect passenger demand the journeys that currently operate between Countess Wear and Exmouth Leisure Centre are removed from the timetable.

To ensure the route caters for the vast majority of passengers, who are those travelling between Sandy Bay and Exmouth, the route will be simplified and become more direct.

Buses from Sandy Bay will operate the current route as far as Littleham Cross and then non-stop via Salterton Road to Exmouth Pavilion, before continuing via the current route to Exmouth Leisure Centre.

The section of route along Cranford Avenue, Douglas Avenue, The Maer and Queens Drive will no longer be served, however, passengers for Cranford Avenue can use Service 357 and passengers for Douglas Avenue can use Services 97 and 357. There will be no service to The Maer and Queens Drive, however, alternative stops are available nearby.

From 24 March 2024, the Saturday and Sunday timetables will be reinstated for the start of the 2024 season. Up until the 25 May 2024, and again from 1 September 2024 until 2 November 2024 buses will operate every 60 minutes between approximately 0830 and 1730. From 26 May 2024 until 31 August 2024, service will increase to operate every 30 minutes between approximately 0830 and 1730.

Service 96 (Exmouth – Lympstone)

Timing changes are introduced each day to improve reliability and punctuality. To coincide with changes to the route of Service 57 and the introduction of new Service 99, there will be a change to the route of Service 96.

From Hulham Road, buses will operate a one-way loop serving Marley Road, Jubilee Drive and Dinan Way, before resuming current route from Bryon Way. The bus stop at Dennesdene Close on Hulham Road will no longer be served by Service 96, however, alternative bus stops are available nearby.

Departure times from Lympstone are advanced by 5 minutes to depart at XX05.

Service 97 (Masey Road – Exmouth Town Centre – The Marles)

Timing changes are introduced Monday to Sunday to improve reliability and punctuality.

Service 98/98A (Exmouth – Littleham)

Timing changes are introduced Monday to Sunday to improve reliability and punctuality.

Service 99 (Exmouth – Brixington)

As a result of changes to the route of Service 57, a new Service 99 will be introduced.

Service 99 will operate from Rolle Street in Exmouth Town Centre and will operate a circular route serving Brixington. Buses will follow the current Service 57 route, with the exception of Lime Grove, Spider’s Lane and part of Jubilee Drive (see changes to the route of Service 96).

Buses will operate on Monday to Saturday daytimes every 20 minutes, providing an additional journey opportunity every hour. During the evening Service 99 will operate hourly and on Sunday and Public Holidays daytimes every 30 minutes.

While early morning and evening journeys on Service 99 will connect into Service 57 journeys, without the need to change bus, at other times, passengers will need to change buses in Exmouth Town Centre for onward travel via a short walk between the bus stops at Rolle Street and Exmouth Parade.

Service 99E (Brixington – Littleham via Exmouth)

On Sunday and Public Holiday daytimes journeys will no longer serve Rodney Close but will additionally serve World of Country Life, passengers can use alternative stops on West Down Lane, a few metres away from the Rodney Close bus stop. The 1603 journey from Rodney Close to Exmouth Peacocks will operate as a through journey to Brixington.

Service 157/257/357 (Exmouth – Sidmouth via Budleigh Salterton)

Timing changes are introduced Monday to Sunday to improve reliability and punctuality.

On Sunday and Public Holidays Service 157 will terminate at Rolle Street in Exmouth.

On Monday to Saturdays the 0628 journey from Exmouth to Budleigh and the 1845 to East Budleigh along with the Saturday journey at 0710 from Exmouth to East Budleigh and the 0740 and 1847 from Exmouth to East Budleigh will be withdrawn. The 0635 Monday to Saturday journey from Exmouth to Sidmouth will be re-timed to depart 5 minutes earlier at 0630.

Service 358 (Exeter – Otterton)

Minor timing changes are introduced to improve reliability and punctuality, with the morning journey advanced to depart 15 minutes earlier from Otterton at 0705.