Newton Abbot Road Closure

We are starting to get a few notices coming through so I will deal with these as they happen

Just the three so far this week

First South West Ltd

Licence	Route	Start Point	End Point	Effective	Notes
PH0004983.173	17 17A	Penzance	St Ives	01-Sep-2024	Timetable variation

The first of quite a few changes for FSW in September

Stagecoach Devon Ltd

Licence	Route	Start Point	End Point	Effective	Notes
PH1020951.046	7	Exeter Bus Station	Totnes Coronation Road	22-Jul-2024	route, stopping places and timetable change. Traveline have a new timetable as from 10 August 2024
PH1020951.159	92	Totnes Royal Seven Stars	Dartmouth	22-Jul-2024	Route, timetable and bus stop/stopping points variation. There is a new timetable on Traveline as from 10 August 2024

From 22/07/24 to 09/08/24, Newton Abbot, Wolborough Street will be closed due to roadworks.

A section of Wolborough Street in Newton Abbot will be closed between 22nd July and 9th August 2024. Bus services 7& 92 will be significantly disrupted as a result. Service 7 will run non-stop between Newton Abbot Sherborne Road and Totnes Coronation Road, we will be unable to serve Ipplepen or any other stops on the A381 between these points. As service 7 connects with service 92 (using the same vehicle on most journeys), both services 7 and 92 will operate to an amended timetable, as a result of the increased time it will take to operate via the diversion route.

Operator	Route Description	Start	End	Library
Stagecoach South West	7 Exeter City Centre - Newton Abbot - Totnes	22/07/2024	09/08/2024	T003179
Stagecoach South West	7 Exeter City Centre - Newton Abbot - Totnes	10/08/2024		T003176
Stagecoach South West	92 Totnes - Halwell - Dartmouth	22/07/2024	09/08/2024	T003178
Stagecoach South West	92 Totnes - Halwell - Dartmouth	10/08/2024		T003177

Plymouth Citybus School Services

There will be some changes to the fares on the Plymouth Citybus run Plymouth School Bus Network from September 2024.

Tickets

Passengers will still be able to access single, return, day, week tickets on the bus, using cash or contactless payment and additionally purchase day, week, 4 week and 13 week via the Plymouth Citybus App. These can be found under the ‘Plymouth School Tickets’ category. These tickets enable travel on the school buses, plus travel on any other Plymouth Citybus services in the Plymouth Zone, meaning you can still travel off peak and in school holidays across the local bus network.

Prices

• Singles and Returns (on bus) = depend on journey length
• Day (on bus and app) = £6.00
• 1 week (on bus and app) = £24.00
• 4 week (on app) = £92.00
• 13 week (on app) = £295

Timetable Changes

The only changes to the 2023 network for September 2024 are that services 106 and 107 will depart 5 minutes earlier.

Plymouth Citybus School Buses 23/24

There will be some changes to the Plymouth Citybus run Plymouth School Bus Network from September 2023.

Changes are being made to make sure the remaining school services are viable after central funding for the bus industry has been reduced.

We have listed the changes below to both routes and tickets.

• Coombe Dean

We have worked with Coombe Dean school to make sure the buses are now timed to coincide with the later school finish time. All current buses, 806 / 807 / 808/ 809 will depart Coombe Dean at 15.15 and the 810 (currently 808 late trip) will depart at 16.30. The 807 will have a revised route in Mount Gould avoiding a double loop in the afternoons.

• Tor Bridge

There will be no timing or route changes to the 106 and 107.

• Notre Dame

The 103 / 112 and 118 will be retimed to improve reliability on morning trips and will leave Notre Dame 5 minutes later in the afternoon at 15.40.

• DHS

The 101 and 102 will be retimed to improve reliability. The 104 will be revised to start at Roborough Roundabout and not extend to Yelverton and Tavistock. The 105 will be withdrawn. There will be no Plymouth Citybus school buses north of Roborough. Passengers will need to seek alternatives, such as the Stagecoach X1.

Tickets

All school buses will now run within the new ‘Plymouth Zone’, formally Zone 1 and 2.

Passengers will still be able to access single, return, day, week tickets on the bus and additionally 4 week and 13 week via the Plymouth Citybus App.

These tickets enable travel on the school bus of choice, plus travel on any other Plymouth Citybus services in the valid zone, meaning you can still travel off peak and in school holidays across the local bus network. This year you will be asked to purchase the ticket for the bus you will be travelling on. For instance, a 112 ticket will not be valid on other school bus except the 112. Tickets for the 806 / 807 / 808 / 809 will also be valid on the 810.

Prices

Singles and Returns (on bus) = depend on journey length

Day (on bus and app) = £5.50

1 week (on bus and app) = £22.00

4 week (on app) = £86.00

13 week (on app) = £275

Full timetables can be downloaded from the side bar to the right. 

NEW PRICES

Singles and returns

Available to buy on bus and price dependant on distance travelled.

• Day Tickets

Available to buy on bus and on the Plymouth Citybus App.

Zone 1 and 2 = £4.50

Zone 3 = £6.50

• 1 Week Tickets

Available to buy on bus and on the Plymouth Citybus App.

Zone 1 or 2 = £16.00

Zone 1 and 2 = £18.00

Zone 3 = £22.00

4 Week Tickets

Available to buy on the Plymouth Citybus App.

Zone 1 or 2 = £60.00

Zone 1 and 2 = £70.00

Zone 3 = £80.00

• 13 Week Tickets

Available to buy on the Plymouth Citybus App.

Zone 1 or 2 = £190.00

Zone 1 and 2 = £220.00

Zone 3 = £250.00

The School Bus times can be found here: Plymouth%20School%20Times%202023.pdf

The days of a fleet of StudentLink buses seem a distant memory

Lockdown Service Updates

Stagecoach have given a few more updates to their services in this new lockdown phase we are currently in:

08.01.2021: Latest Timetables in the South West during the National Lockdown

We have been working closely with the local authorities to maintain essential connections for keyworkers across the South West, as well as school journeys and essential shopping trips. We are delighted to say that we will largely be leaving our local bus network unchanged in the coming weeks.

We will be making some very minor changes to services across the South West from 10th January 2021 with the majority of our buses operating on school holiday timetables. Please make sure you look carefully at codes within your timetable, as journeys coded SD largely will not be running.

The following journeys will be operating a school day service and we’ll also have duplicate buses at school times to insure our key workers children can continue to travel to school safely. For full details visit: https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south-west/covid-19-timetables

Route 1: We will be operating a trip at 0725 via  Cullompton School and Uffculme School, to replace the 0730 via Tiverton Parkway. We will also operate a trip at 0755 to Clyst Vale school, to replace the 0805 which usually does not serve the school.

Route 4: We will be operating a trip at 1440 to operate via Gittesham for students of Kings School.

Route 155: The 1400 journey will operate as school day times, not school holiday times. This service will depart at the same time but will serve South Molton College.

Route 357: The 0735 journey will operate as a school trip via Dinan Way, Cheshire Road, Bradham Court and Exmouth C. College.

Route 921: Will operate from Westward Ho! At 0700 to Pilton diverting in Fremington via Beechfield. This will provide a service for passengers who usually catch the 903/904. Buses will operate the reverse route in the afternoon departing from the school at 1520. The 903/904 will not currently operate.

Route 815: Will operate from Appledore at 0710 to Park, in the afternoon buses will depart the school at 1530 to Appledore. The 821 will not currently operate.

Route 919: The 0733 from Westward Ho!  to Atlantic Academy will operate it’s usual timetable.

Falcon: Our Falcon coach service will have a temporarily reduced timetable from 10th January, operating 7 trips a day. To download the latest timetable visit: https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south-west/south-west-falcon

Plymouth Citybus continue to operate as normal but the dedicated school services in and around Plymouth are suspended as schools are restricted:

For your information the following school buses WILL NOT run this week: #PCB28S #PCB48S #PCB51S #PCB101 #PCB102 #PCB103 #PCB104 #PCB105 #PCB106 #PCB112 #PCB118 #PCB807.

Transport for Cornwall are operating as normal

Cornwall by Kernow have a few changes from 10th January:

A1 - Will run to a revised route and timetable. Buses will continue to run as now between Penzance and St Buryan. Beyond St Buryan, buses will serve Sennen Cove, Land’s End and Porthcurno as a ‘loop’.

A2 and A3 -  Will not run

A17 -  Is running as normal between Penzance and St Ives,

U3 - Will run to a revised timetable.

U4 - Will be running as normal through Marazion

More timetable amendments Citybus

The latest batch of Plymouth Citybus timetable amendments have been made – and are already in place… These are all adjustments due to school services having to be altered at very short notice.

We are making some changes from this week (21st September) to improve our service reliability and to add additional journeys into timetables which had been amended due to school movements.

• 42A - The 08.30 from Royal Parade to Tamerton Foliot will be reinstated, this journey was temporarily withdrawn due to the additional requirements for school journeys.
• 42C - The 07.42 from Woolwell to Royal Parade will be reinstated, this journey was temporarily withdrawn due to the additional requirements for school journeys.
• 42C - The 15.10 from Royal Parade will be reinstated, this journey was temporarily withdrawn due to the additional requirements for school journeys.
• 50 - The 05.58 & 06.13 journeys from Derriford Hospital will both run 10 minutes later, the 07.00 journey from Derriford Hospital will run 10 minutes earlier. We are re timing these journeys to fill the gap currently in the timetable caused by the 50S being a closed service for school children.
• 50S - This journey will now start from Milehouse at 07.17 and we will also run an additional bus on this journey from Southway to help with capacity.
• 51 - The 15.04 journey from Derriford Hospital will run 5 minutes later and the 15.39 journey from Derriford Hospital will run 5 minutes earlier. We are re timing these journeys to fill the gap currently in the timetable by the 51S being a closed service for school children.
• 51S - The additional duplicate service from Tor Bridge High will run as far as Southway and then will terminate the other bus will run as timetabled.
• 112 - The morning journey will now depart Stuart Road 10 minutes earlier to improve the reliability of the service arriving at Notre Dame School.
• 807 - The morning journey will now depart Woolwell 5 minutes earlier and will now serve Mount Gould to assist with capacity issues on the 806.
• 809 - The afternoon journey from Coombe Dean School will now terminate at Peverell. Students wishing to continue onto Milehouse will need to catch the 808.

We are working on updating our website and the updated timetables will be available by the weekend.

Schools go back–Citybus Details

More Buses and Student Only Buses

Changes to bus services from 1^st September

From 1^st September there will be several changes to bus services in Plymouth.

These changes to services are so that children can get safety back to school and key corridors gain extra buses and capacity for the general public to use.

The new measures follow the latest guidance from the Department for Education and Department for Transport. 

More capacity on the local bus network

Service 34 will be increased form every 30 minutes to every 20 minutes

Service 43 will be increased from every 20 minutes to every 15 minutes

Service 50 / 51 will be increased from every 20 minutes to every 15 minutes. To achieve this the 50 / 51 will serve transit way and the 50A / 51A will serve Keswick Crescent every 30 minutes.

Borrowed Buses

We are deploying double decker buses where we can and larger single deck buses have been borrowed from some of our sister companies, so you will see some non Citybus branded buses serving in the City.

When 2 Travel

If you are planning a journey, you can now check when the best times to travel is with our ‘When2Travel’ tool. The dynamic prediction engine forecasts which journey will be quieter, or busier, when and where. Journeys in red will mean the bus has 60% or more of it’s seats in use. Amber is between 50% and 60%, with green meaning less than half the seats are in use.

It can be found on our website here

Student Only Buses

In line with guidance we are making a number of school movements that have previously been available to the general public closed for student only.

These include our 2019 / 2020 school services of 101 / 102 / 103 / 104/ 105 / 106 / 112 / 118.

Over the summer we have also picked up school movements previously operated by Stagecoach South West for Coombe Dean and Tor Bridge schools. These are services 28S / 50S* / 51S* / 806 / 807 / 808 / 809 / 810.

*Service 50S / 51S are student only between St Budeaux and Asda in both directions.

These are all outlined in detail in the download to the right of this page.

Student only buses will show their normal destination number, so passengers can see where the bus is going, but will also display ‘Student Only’ on the destination display.

Any closed school movements in Cornwall can be found on the Transport for Cornwall website.

School Bus Tickets

We would ask that parents or pupils purchase tickets for these services in advance, using our App, or key card. You are able to gift tickets from a parent’s phone to a child’s phone using our app. Meaning the child does not have to have payment details stored on their phone.

Social Distancing

The Department for Education has confirmed that social distancing will not be required on dedicated school transport, as they will be in school bubbles and not sharing with the public. Therefore the bus can operate to full covid seated capacity of the vehicle.

We are working with Plymouth City Council to marshal busy bus stops in the afternoon school peak, making sure everyone gets home safe. There are extra coaches on standby to pick up in areas where needed. As we do not yet know what areas may need the extra provision, based on the number of students wanting to use the bus, we ask for your cooperation and patience in the first week.

• Plymouth Schools timetables (archive copy)
• Plymouth Schools Timetable – Download from Plymouth Citybus Web Site
• Callywith College Timetables (archive copy)
• Callywith College Timetables – Download from Citybus web site

Amazing to think that these finished 7 years ago!

Coombe Dean School Services

Coombe Dean School have announced that their school bus services will be run by Plymouth Citybus from September as Stagecoach have withdrawn them.

CityBus are taking over the service from September

Many of you will know that since ‘lockdown’ Stagecoach has suspended the bus services on which a large proportion of our pupils rely on to get to school. A few weeks ago, we learnt that Stagecoach had decided to de-registered these routes as they deemed them commercially unviable.

I am delighted to announce that Plymouth CityBus have agreed to take over these routes, and that pupils who were used to travelling on the 806 (from Devonport) the 807 (from Woolwell ) and the 808 & 809 (from Mannamead) will still be able to do so from September. We will also continue to operate the 810 ‘late bus’ service, in partnership with CityBus.

Ticket Type	Cost	Equivalent Cost Per Week
1-week	£14.50	£14.50
4-week	£55.50	£13.87
13-week	£174	£13.38
Annual	£585	£11.25 (only best if pupil travels regularly in school holidays)

I acknowledge that the ticket prices for these routes have increased and that this will be an additional financial burden on our families at a difficult time. We are working on a plan to continue our subsidised weekly tickets for low-income families, and will provide details of this scheme as soon as possible.

Please remember that CityBus, like all public transport operators, have faced significant difficulties through the pandemic. I am very grateful that they have chosen to support the education of young people across Plymouth by taking on the routes that had been de-registered by Stagecoach.

Please do everything you can to buy tickets in advance. This will ensure that the buses run on time and is also much safer for all involved, as it reduces the need for queuing and for pupils to wait in close proximity to the driver and one another whilst they purchase tickets.

• Traveline Timetable 806
• Traveline Timetable 807
• Traveline Timetable 808
• Traveline Timetable 809
• Traveline Timetable 810

Go South West News

The recent expansion of bus operations into Cornwall, had lead to a new corporate brand name - Go South West - being created to encompass our Plymouth Citybus and Go Cornwall Bus brands.

We now have significant operational presence across Devon and Cornwall, due to the newly-established Go Cornwall Bus operations. The two companies will now sit underneath the Go South West title, although their current brand identities will remain the same, so no changes for passengers to see.

In April, Plymouth Citybus acquired operations in Cornwall with the start of an eight-year contract to deliver a network of Council-subsidised local bus routes that are essential to local communities but are not commercial viable. The winning of this contract effectively doubled the Go Ahead work force across Devon and Cornwall.

David Brown, Go Ahead Groups' Managing Director commented, 'As the Go-Ahead bus operations in the region cover both Devon and Cornwall, it made sense to create a company called 'Go South West'.

I would like to thank Richard Stevens, Managing Director of Go South West, for his continues hard work. In the past year, Plymouth has received a Queen's Award for Enterprise and a platinum accreditation for 'Investors in People'. I look forward to seeing continued achievements across the region'.

We are really excited about the launch of Go South West, as but rest assured, as one of our important passengers, you will continue to see your well known and much loved Plymouth Citybus brand across Plymouth.

More importantly though there are service changes for Plymouth coming at the end of August although the web site has yet to be fully updated the timetables are starting to appear on the site. More will follow here as details are released.

Most already have timetables on Traveline as below. Sadly the one that looks the most interesting from first glance if the 50 50A 51 51A which looks like an increase in day time service to every 15 mins with alternate routes so some sections are only every 30 mins including mine (Keswick Crescent) and Transit Way.

The other change of interest is that Citybus have taken on more schools work with several services coming from Stagecoach including the Tor Bridge and Coombe Dean services.

• 5 Saltash - Plymouth City Centre - Plymstock – Elburton 5A Saltash - Plymouth City Centre - Plymstock – Elburton
• 28 Plymouth City Centre - Deer Park - Eggbuckland - Derriford Hospital 28A Plymouth City Centre – Eggbuckland
• 34 Plymouth City Centre - Devonport - Crownhill - Derriford Hospital - Estover Ind Estate
• 42 Plymouth City Centre - Derriford Hospital - Estover Asda – Mainstone
• 42C Plymouth City Centre - Derriford Hospital – Woolwell
• 43 Plymouth City Centre - Ernesettle - Plymouth City Centre
• 50 50A 51 51A Derriford St Budeaux Marsh Mills Circular – no timetables on Traveline yet
• Plymouth Citybus Schools

Why buses from Southampton and Brighton have been driving around Plymouth https://t.co/ROu1cpqUC0

— Plymouth Live (@Plymouth_Live) August 6, 2020

First Schools

We have already had the main Plymouth service changes for First from the 4th January, but there are a few other changes that are equally important to some passengers:

Plymouth Schools

Applications To Vary Existing Services: VOSA 11 NOV 2014

PH0004983/75 - FIRST DEVON & CORNWALL LTD, THE RIDE, CHELSON MEADOW, PLYMOUTH, PL9 7JT

• Variation Accepted:
• Operating between Roborough Bypass and Tor Bridge High
• given service number 804/805
• effective from 05-Jan-2015.
• To amend Route and Timetable.

Applications To Vary Existing Services: VOSA 04 NOV 2014

PH0004983/120 - FIRST DEVON & CORNWALL LTD, THE RIDE, CHELSON MEADOW, PLYMOUTH, PL9 7JT

• Variation Accepted:
• Operating between Woolwell and Coombe Dean School
• given service number 808/807/809
• effective from 04-Jan-2015.
• To amend Timetable.

Details

804 Widewell - Southway - Estover Community College
805 Robourgh - Estover Community College Timetable

807 Woolwell - Crownhill - Greenbank - Coombe Dean
808 Peverell - Greenbank - Coombe Dean
809 Peverell - Greenbank - Coombe Dean Timetable

One oddity that seems to have been carried over from the previous timetable is that routes 808 and 809 are identical in both the times and the route. Do both services actually run together - ie two buses both operating to the same route and times?

On the 805 back in May 2010 K614LAE. These days its pretty much all Trident operation

Related Links

• Plymothian Bus Services First 804 805
• Plymothian Bus Services First 807 808 809

Recommended Reading

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From School Bus to Driver Trainer

There has been a bit of a change around on some of the Volvos at Plymouth Citybus. 443 X549EGK was lettered up for the School Bus 112 service but has now been lettered up for Driver Training.

©Richard Smith 3rd August 2014

©Richard Smith 20 August 2014

Meanwhile former 453 Y826TGH has turned up at the newly revived Velvet Bus where it has been painted in a fetching allover pink livery captured on camera HERE

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School Bus Only

One advantage of having all all red livery is that Plymouth Citybus can put their ex London buses out on the road with little attention to the livery. They are though used on schools services, with large temporary destination displays commiting them to specific routes which does seem a bit too restrictive. I belive the plan is to eventually repaint them into standard livery but for the time being they will remain in full Go Ahead London livery. 450 was caught on camera last week by Richard Smith:
©Richard Smith

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On The Yorkshire Buses coming to Channel 5 on 11th July! The eight part observational documentary or 'fly on the wall' series made by The Garden Productions follows the staff of family-run bus and coach company East Yorkshire Motor Services as they transport passengers in Hull, as well as towns and villages in the East Riding and North Yorkshire. Royal Norfolk Show 2014 part 1 ~ Coaches It is that time of year again - last week saw the ever popular Royal Norfolk Show take place at the Norfolk Showground just outside Norwich, as with last year our regular correspondent David Bell attended the event to observe the numerous visiting local coaches Royal Norfolk Show 2014 part 2 - Buses For the two day event Konectbus once again doubled the frequency of their service 4 (Swanton Morley - Dereham - Norwich) between the Norfolk Showground and Norwich bus station, amongst the vehicles employed on the extra workings was Mercedes Benz Citaro 0530G BD57 WCZ © David Bell. Bus & Coach Preservation Rally 2014 - photo special 1 In a new two part guest photo special Philip Slynn shares a selection of photographs taken at last weekend's Bus & Coach Preservation Magazine rally at the Hertfordshire showground...

Ipswich Museum Revisited I reported on my first visit to the splendid Ipswich Transport Museum (ITM) back in 2011 so it was time to take another look to see what's been going on since my last visit. I called in on Good Friday, back in April, en route to my other fascination, a speedway match between Ipswich Witches and Peterborough Panthers.

London’s lost bridge across the Thames at Blackwall For nearly 1,700 years, London’s only bridge across the Thames was the famous London Bridge, until Putney Bridge was constructed in 1726. Yet London very nearly had another bridge crossing the Thames, which may have been in fact constructed, at least in part before being abandoned. A weekly round-up of London’s rail transport news Network Rail have accelerated their planned 12-month maintenance programme along lines served by FCC to three months, with upgrades to track, power supplies, signalling and drainage to be completed by the end of July. Big science opens its doors for tours Over a thousand scientists toil away at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, and in August there is a chance to go inside and see what they do The fragment of London’s Roman Wall hidden in a car park Dotted around London can be found various remnants of the original Roman Wall that once encircled it, yet one fragment is rarely seen, despite being in full view of those who know where to find it.

LONDON - THE YEAR OF THE BUS CAVALCADE & DISPLAY Sunday 22nd June 2014 found Regent Street in Central London closed for one of the most interesting reasons in the history of the city's public transport. And a very good reason it was too, as around 50-odd examples of public transport were on display between Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Blackpool and Huddersfield rail links into London planned Two new high-speed rail links from the north of England to London have moved a step closer. The Great North Western Railway Company (GNWR) said Network Rail had agreed to let them run direct trains from Blackpool and Huddersfield. New high-speed rail link needed to boost north of England A new high-speed rail link in the north of England connecting Manchester and Leeds could help to create an economic area to rival London, Chancellor George Osborne is to say. London’s buses go cash free from this Sunday London buses will stop accepting cash fares from Sunday 6th July, as Transport for London (TfL) moves to a cash free bus network across the capital. Windsor Link Railway funding on track Windsor Link Railway (WLR) wants to build a tunnel between Windsor & Eton station to Windsor & Eton Riverside station but permission alone is expected to cost between £3m and £10m. Dockland's Light Railway Franchise Awarded to Keolis Keolis will operate the franchise until April 2021, Transport for London (TfL) said. The transport group has an option to extend the franchise until 2023. Works to make Luton and Dunstable busway 'less noisy' begins A council is spending up to £6,000 trying to make a new £91m bus route quieter after residents complained about noise. It believes noise on the Luton and Dunstable guided busway comes from gaps between the concrete beams and is filling them with a flexible material. MICHAEL BANFIELD AUCTION The collection of a lifetime of cars and vehicle memorabilia has sold at auction for £3million. Michael Banfield, a founder member of the Historic Commercial Vehicle Society, spent more than 50 years collecting buses, emergency vehicles and cars.

Students stay linked

After a lot of work behind the scenes it seems that Plymouth Citybus are still very much in the school bus sector for the new school year in September. Yesterday we saw a flurry of registrations on VOSA setting out the new services as from 3rd September 2012:

 

• PH0000135/20 Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Tamerton Folilot and DHS Boys School given service number 101 effective from 02-Sep-2012.
• PH0000135/58 - Variation Accepted: Operating between Plymouth Royal Parade and City College Plymouth given service number 36 effective from 02-Sep-2012. To amend Timetable.
• PH0000135/128 - Registration Accepted Starting Point: Tamerton Foliot, Cunningham Road  Finish Point: DHS Boys  Via: Crownhill, DHS Girls  Service Number: 101  Service Type: Normal Stopping  Effective Date: 02-SEP-2012  Other Details: Monday to Friday schooldays only.
• PH0000135/129 - Registration Accepted Starting Point: Glenholt, George Park & Ride Finish Point: DHS Boys Plymouth Via: Southway Service Number: 102 Service Type: Normal Stopping Effective Date: 02-SEP-2012 Other Details: Monday to Friday Plymouth school days only.
• PH0000135/130 - Registration Accepted Starting Point: Crownhill Finish Point: DHS Boys Via: Devonport, St Budeaux Service Number: 104 Service Type: Normal Stopping Effective Date: 02-SEP-2012 Other Details: Monday to Friday Plymouth schooldays only.
• PH0000135/131 Registration Accepted Starting Point: Plympton, Steer Park Finish Point: DHS Boys Plymouth Via: Derriford, Peverell Service Number: 109 Service Type: Normal Stopping Effective Date: 02-SEP-2012 Other Details: Monday to Friday Plymouth school days only.
• PH0000135/132 - Registration Accepted Starting Point: Milehouse Finish Point: Notre Dame School Via: Devonport, Keyham Service Number: 112 Service Type: Normal Stopping Effective Date: 02-SEP-2012 Other Details: Monday to Friday Plymouth schooldays only.
• PH0000135/133 - Registration Accepted Starting Point: Plympton, Steer Park Finish Point: DHS Girls, Outland Road Via: Marsh Mills, Lipson Service Number: 115 Service Type: Normal Stopping Effective Date: 02-SEP-2012 Other Details: Monday to Friday Plymouth schooldays only.
• PH0000135/134 - Registration Accepted Starting Point: Milehouse Finish Point: Notre Dame School Via: Crownhill, St Budeaux Service Number: 118 Service Type: Normal Stopping Effective Date: 02-SEP-2012 Other Details: Monday to Friday Plymouth schooldays only.
• PH0000135/135 - Registration Accepted Starting Point: Tamerton Foliot Finish Point: Whitleigh Via: Southway, Widewell Service Number: 142 Service Type: Normal Stopping Effective Date: 02-SEP-2012 Other Details: Monday to Friday Plymouth school days only.

Target Travel (Robert Risk) have a registration amendment form the same date:

• PH0006742/40 - Variation Accepted: Operating between Whitleigh and Efford given service number 46/46S/47/47S effective from 03-Sep-2012. To amend Timetable.

We will wait for the dust to settle and more details to emerge before commenting on these changes but it does seem that most if not all school runs have been saved which has to be good news.

 

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Elsewhere on the net

• The problem, so it seems, is that all those jolly visitors rushing to Stratford etc. to watch the pickled egg pushing might, just might, need to catch trains or buses Public Transport Experience
• A passenger boards your bus. She’s in her early 20s. She’s 20p short of her £5 fare. What do you do? Omnibuses
• Seaton Depot.1970's TGP

Schools Back!

This week is back to school week for most pupils which means the buses get filled with lots of noisy school children. Cant wait!
There do not seem to have been many changes to Citybus school bus services for the new school year. Way back in June Citybus put in a few changes on VOSA to services 4S

Another new route registration on VOSA at the same time was for the 117:

The other change on the original VOSA notice back in April was a timetable change on the 26. There is no sign of this on the Citybus web site so I assume that it has been cancelled and the service just continues as it was.

Target Travel have a new page on their web site for services as from 5th September: It announces quite a few changes, some of which had passed me by till now…
The 7D sees a few extra morning and evening runs added to the old timetable

The 18 starts slightly earlier and ends slightly later with one extra journey added to what was run before, but the times have changed completely with the Royal Parade departure now at 45 mins rather than at 20 mins as it was before.

The 19 sees a slight reduction in service. The Cattedown section gets split out as a 19A and only has a couple morning and evening runs with the Plympton 19 running hourly inbetween

The 39 has a radical makeover with the bus now going all over the place which helps fill in a lot of the gaps. It now serves Deer Park, Austin Farm and up to Asda.

Another major change for the 46/47 routes which Target took over last year. The simple hourly service has been replaced with a complicated timetable which incorporates the 46S 47S schools services. Target have now purchased some double deckers so hopefully we will get to see them on the road this week.

The final change for now is one which surprised me as I have not seen any publicity at Derriford Hospital about it, although I guess there would have been on-bus publicity as the 60 Park and Ride is cut by half and is now every twenty mins instead of every ten. I can see that causing problems at tea time tomorrow when people want to get home. Lets hope it isnt too busy on the roads...

As usual you can see more detail, and view past time tables for these services on my Plymothian Transit Extra site.

Dont forget that some Citybus fares go up today along with the loss of children (on bus) fares before 09:30. I expect my bus to be late this morning!

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Elsewhere on the net

• At deregulation Plymouth Citybus , as Plymouth City Transport had become, found itself with 84 Dodge S56 buses with B23F bodies. The were built by Reeves Burgess and by Plaxton at Scarborough to the same design. Six were fitted with high back seats (DP23F) TGP Photos Unlimited
• Euston, we Have a Problem [3] A Proper Propylaea. Public Transport Experience
• There’s very little left of old Imber village to see. There’s the church, of course, with deteriorating chambers, tombs & headstones outside. Omnibuses
• Isca Dumnoniorum TGP Photos Unlimited
• My Sunday Lost Scene today is a view of Bude outstation in North Cornwall, photographed on 30th July 2006. Southern England Bus Scene
• The third annual pilgrimage to liberate the abandoned village of Imber, on Salisbury Plain, evacuated in 1943 and never returned, took place yesterday. Leon Daniels

School kids left stranded in rain by bus

 

SCHOOL children in Plymouth were left stranded in the rain, after drivers of over-crowded buses refused their fare. Bus company First National told their drivers to refuse school pupils once buses reach full-capacity, after parents complained that the essential transporters were dangerously overcrowded

School kids left stranded in rain by bus (This is Plymouth)

This story has been great to follow on the This is Plymouth site as it does show up an awful lot of ignorance by the people (and the reporter - "First National"?!) of Plymouth. As I type this there are over 70 comments many of them hostile to the company. People seem to think that someone else should come in and run this - not for profit. Cant see that happening!
Another comments suggests that the City Council should give Citybus permission to run to Plymstock. The fact that they dont need council permission, and indeed already operate into Plymstock albeit on a tendered run seems to have passed this person by. The one good thing to see is that the pupils have come out in support of their regular drivers of this service. Knowing one of the drivers who does this run, that support is well deserved.
Si if you want some entertainment pop over to the This is Plymouth site and read the comments HERE