A Big Change for a Tiny Route!

Just the one new timetable notice for Taw & Torridge Coaches:

Licence	Route	Start Point	End Point	Effective	Notes
PH0004727.013	654	Brayford, Shelter	Barnstaple Bus Station	18-Apr-2023	Route and timetable variation

This is quite a big change for such a tiny route which only runs one return journey a week

The previous route

and now the new route map from this weekend

and double the journey time from 10 minutes to 20 minutes! Still only on Tuesdays

Its been a stormy day!

The rough weather has affected services today but one route will continue to be affected for a few days…

Plymouth Citybus Service 13  There is a tree down towards Saltash Passage which is currently not able to be served buses turning on Wolseley Road section and waiting time in the turning circle at Pemros Road. until further notice. This is now likely to be until 19th April owing to a damaged wall.

The Exmoor Coaster has also been affected today:

Due to High Winds the Open-Top service is suspended. There will be a single deck vehicle operating on the following trips. 1100 - To Lynmouth 1240 - To M’head 1400 - To Lynmouth 1540 - To M’head 1700 - To Lynmouth 1810 - To M’head. 1200 - To Lynmouth 1340 - To M’Head 1500 - To Lynmouth 1610 - To M’Head

The un-masked unmasked again

I didnt think it would be long before this story came back..

“Man fuming as 'students ignore mask rules' on Plymouth Citybus”

“"I caught the 16:17 42C headed to the city centre. Almost all the other passengers, whom were clearly students, had followed the rules that came into place that very day. A group of students, all young men, stood at the stop laughing and joking.

"They were not wearing masks. I boarded the bus ahead of them, sat in the disabled seats and watched them proceed to get on, not one of them being asked or challenged about not having a mask on. I can only assume they're either immune from the rules, or from Covid-19."

He added: "I contacted both Marjon and Citybus, and Citybus responded to say that it was not their job to enforce mask wearing, yet others have commented saying Stagecoach have a no mask, no travel, no exemption rule.

"Why Citybus think they have no standing, legally, to enforce this mask wearing is beyond me.

"My family and I have no choice but to get around the city on the buses. Myself and my partner are both disabled and rely on buses to get out to shops, nursery, appointments and so on”

https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/man-fuming-students-ignore-mask-6313349

Bus drivers and the operators cant win – if they did stop their buses and insist on mask wearing then the paper would be full of people complaining about that and insisting they are exempt – without having, or needing any proof of such exemption – making it impossible for drivers to police even if they had to. I share the passenger’s concerns about those who are not wearing masks but without clear direction from the Govt – and official enforcement then that's just not going to happen. I'm just glad I have to option of working from home!

Are more passengers wearing masks now or is it like in supermarkets where it seems there are plenty of people who still dont bother?

Meanwhile in Dawlish today…

I must admit to having the live cam on my pc for a while this morning while I worked – it was pretty rough, but it seems that the new wall being constructed did its job – its just that maybe the trains are not up to it? I thought it was just the Virgin trains that had problems in weather like this?

Plymouth Citybus in the snow

 

It seems so long ago now but last week saw some of the heaviest snow Plymouth has seen for a good few years. The fact that the city itself got away pretty lightly compared with other areas didn't mean it was easy for anyone. I have already had a picture post of the Plymouth Citybus 50’s in the snow but this is the start of a bigger look back to see how operators managed each day, mainly through their activity on Twitter which provided a crucial service throughout the period.

Wednesday 28th February

11:00  Snow is affecting our services. We will continue to operate as usual wherever possible and are monitoring conditions. Services 20A and 33 have been diverted and services 5/5A and 43 have severe delays

11:23 Service 5/5A is affected due to road conditions in Plymstock. There are delays to this service. This service will not stop in Oreston. Service 14 will not serve Mount Wise/James Street due to adverse weather. Service 15 will not serve any of the roads around Cattedown Service 20A is going as far as Ivybridge Town Hall but is not serving the rest of the town due to road conditions. Service 43 to Ernesettle is struggling to go up and down Biggin Hill. Please expect delays on this service. Service 33 has been diverted. This service will run its normal route as far as Royal Navy Avenue then will carry straight on to Lidl on Wolesely Road and onto Royal Parade. The service will miss Station Road and St Levans Road on its route to Royal Parade. Services 50/50A and 51/51A will not serve Holly Park and Keswick Crescent. Please also expect delays to this service. Service 70 has been suspended past HMS Raleigh and will serve Torpoint to Plymouth only

11:40 Service 21/21A will not serve St Maurice.

11:59 Service 21/21A around Plympton will serve Moorland Road, Glen Road, Sandy Road and Ridgeway past Chaddlewood Garage and the George Pub. It will not serve Steer Park, Wolverwood Lane or St. Maurice

Things soon settled down a bit and buses started to go back to some of the areas affected.

14:02 UPDATE TO PLYMSTOCK AREA: The service 5/5A is operating as normal with the exception of Holmwood Avenue. We cannot serve Holmwood avenue.

14:17 UPDATE TO PLYMSTOCK AREA: Holmwood Avenue is now open. The service 5 is operating as normal.

14:21 SERVICE 75 - We cannot serve Seaton and Down Derry. The service 75 is running on main roads only

14:30 UPDATE TO SERVICE 50/50A - Keswick Crescent is now open.

15:12 UPDATE TO SERVICE 5/5A: Oaklands Green in Saltash is now open.

15:37 SERVICE 70/70A/70B UPDATE: Goad Avenue (Torpoint) is now open.

15:50 SERVICE 21/21A UPDATE: St Maurice is now open. This service is running as normal

16:32 SERVICE 28/A UPDATE: Austin Crescent has now reopened.

They then started to look ahead to what Thursday might bring…

Obviously we can’t predict the weather (!) but we are expecting similar conditions tomorrow and will be working to keep disruption to a minimum. Judging by today’s disruption, we have outlined the services we expect may be affected tomorrow(1st March).

If you are planning to catch one of our services from the following areas tomorrow (1st March), please be advised that we anticipate it will be highly likely these areas and stops will be experiencing service disruption. We would advise you to walk (taking care) to the nearest next stop along the route. We have managed to maintain a service along most main roads today and will endeavour to do the same tomorrow.

This is what we anticipate will be affected tomorrow. Please check our social media pages throughout the day for the latest updates as they happen. Our team will be manning our Twitter and Facebook pages from early in the morning to try and help answer any questions you may have. Please bear with us as we work our way through any enquiries.

• RAME PENINSULA: Rame services beyond HMS Raleigh were suspended today (28th February).
• SERVICE 70/70/70B: Goad Avenue in Torpoint
• SERVICE 50/A and 51/A: Keswick Crescent
• SERVICE 28/A: Austin Crescent
• SERVICE 27: Deer Park
• SERVICE 50A and 51A: Holly Park
• SERVICE 21/A: Steer Park Road
• SERVICE 5/A: Holmwood Avenue, Staddiscombe Road, Dolphin Court Road
• SERVICE 33: Station Road, Warleigh Avenue
• SERVICE 21/A: Wolverwood Lane, St Maurice
• SERVICE 20A: Ivybridge (off main road) , Smithaleigh
• SERVICE 14: Mount Wise
• SERVICE 27: Blandford Road
• SERVICE 44/50A/51A: Whitleigh Green
• SCHOOL CLOSURES
• We have been informed that the following schools will be closed tomorrow, this affects the following services:
• SERVICE 46A/46B: DHS Boys and DHS Girls. This service will not run.
• SERVICE 101 and 102: Southway and Tamerton Foliot. This service will not run.
• Callywith College will be closed tomorrow. Wadebridge School will be closed tomorrow. Looe School will be closed tomorrow. Our local Looe service will operate as normal.

Thursday 1st March

05:55 Good Morning, All services this morning are currently running to schedule, however as the morning progresses the adverse weather predicted may well see this change. We will keep you all updated as and when the need arises. Stay safe.

06:48 SERVICE UPDATE 70/70A: Please note that Whistand Bay is impassable this morning and as a result, this service will not be serving Whitsand Bay. Millbrook, Insworke, Four Lanes End and Cremyll will still be served

06:58 SERVICE UPDATE 70/70A: Millbrook is also hazardous this morning so this service will not serve Millbrook or Whitsand Bay today

08:19 SERVICE 70/70A UPDATE: Unfortunately this service will not be serving any stops past HMS Raleigh all day today. This is due to icy road conditions. Please stay safe out there

08:27 SERVICE 20/A UPDATE: Unfortunately we will not be serving Smithaleigh and in Ivybridge we will be staying on the main roads only. This will be in place all day today. Please stay safe out there

09:14 Due to the weather warning for today we're expecting to not be able to serve parts of some routes from around midday today

09:45 SERVICE UPDATE 75: This service will not be serving Seaton or Downderry all day today.

10:31 SERVICE 11 UPDATE: This service will no longer be serving Trago Mills due to road conditions.

11:37 We have not at present committed to cancelling any services from midday today apart from those already announced (70/A past HMS Raleigh, 20A Smithaleigh, 75 Seaton and Downderry). We are monitoring the weather and expect some disruption in areas experiencing problems yesterday

The weather then started to get worse…

13:32 SERVICE 79 UPDATE: The weather has worsened in Cornwall. As a result this service will not serve Harrowbarrow. We are monitoring other Cornwall routes including Looe. Please keep an eye out for further updates and only travel if necessary.

13:42 SERVICE 33 will not serve Station Road or Warleigh Avenue due to adverse weather conditions.

13:46 SERVICE 20A: Due to adverse weather conditions we will no longer be able to serve Ivybridge or Lee Mill. Services will turn around at Plympton

14:00 CORNWALL SERVICE UPDATE: We will not be able to serve the following areas in Cornwall due to adverse weather: Seaton, Downderry, Crafthole, Trago Mills, Looe Barbican, Hannafore, Calstock and Harrowbarrow. We're continuing to monitor the impact of the storm, please bear with us

14:07 SERVICE 20/21A: This service will not be stopping at Wolverwood Lane due to adverse weather conditions

14:31 Please note, as earlier anticipated we have had to make some changes to parts of our services

14:35 SERVICE UPDATE: We will not be serving Pick Pie Drive in Woolwell due to adverse weather conditions

14:44 SERVICE 5/5A: will not serve Plymstock due to adverse weather. Services will run up the main road as far as Elburton Roundabout.

14:45 SERVICE 76: this service has been suspended due to adverse weather conditions.

14:51 SERVICE UPDATE 12B: this service will not run between Launceston and Bude due to adverse weather conditions.

14:52 SERVICE 12: This service will not run between Callington and Launceston due to adverse weather conditions.

14:54 SERVICE 12A: this service will not stop in the housing estates in Callington, in Ashton or in St Dominic. It will stick to the main roads and will turn around at Callington

15:01 SERVICE 79: this service has been suspended due to adverse weather conditions

15:04 SERVICE 74: this service has been suspended due to adverse weather conditions.

15:09 SERVICE 21/21A UPDATE: this service will not be serving Mudge Way due to adverse weather conditions.

15:25 SERVICE 34 UPDATE: this service will be running on the main road/Union Street only

15:25 SERVICE 15 UPDATE: this service has been suspended due to adverse weather conditions.

15:27 SERVICE 28/28A UPDATE: this service will run as far as Charfield Drive. It will not serve the Austin Crescent area through Crownhill

15:30 SERVICE 40/41 UPDATE: we will not serve Southway. We are attempting to serve just Southway Shops via the George

15:32 SERVICE 21/21A UPDATE: we can no longer serve Chaddlewood or anywhere beyond the Lord Louis pub due to a lorry accident on the road

15:49 SERVICE 42C UPDATE: this service will not be serving Woolwell at all due to adverse weather conditions.

16:07 SERVICE 5/5A SALTASH UPDATE: this service will run between Callington Road and the Ploughboy (both directions) only. We cannot serve anywhere else in Saltash

16:11 SERVICE 11 UPDATE: the 16:40 service 11 will run as far as Liskeard, where it will terminate. This will be the last service 11 for today

16:25 SERVICE 8 & 9 UPDATE: these services will not serve Efford. They will go as far as Laira Green roundabout where they will turn and go back

16:25 SERVICE 50/50A UPDATE: this service will not be serving Asda (I was on the last bus that did serve Asda - very slippery indeed!)

16:40 SERVICE 73 UPDATE: the 1635 will run from Polperro then this service will be suspended. SERVICE 72 UPDATE: 1755 from Polperro suspended. 1620 from Plymouth to Trulefoot only

16:42 SERVICE 40/41/42A UPDATE: this service will terminate at the George Park & Ride. SERVICE 42C UPDATE: this service will terminate at the roundabout on the main road before Tesco.

16:44 SERVICE 44 UPDATE: this service will not serve Whitleigh Green. We will still serve Taunton Avenue.

16:47 SERVICE 11 UPDATE: this service will be delayed as the roads between Trerulefoot and Liskeard and Liskeard to Callington have been closed. More updates as we have them.

16:47 SERVICE 16 UPDATE: this service will now terminate at Lower Ham.

17:04 SERVICE 61/62 UPDATE: this service will operate via Little Dock Lane and will not serve Coombe Park Lane or Honicknowle Lane.

17:04 SERVICE 50/A and 51/A: will not serve Estover, Leigham or Longbridge. Will serve the normal route from Derriford Hospital to the City Centre via St Budeaux. Then from the City Centre to Marsh Mills, up the A38, off at Manadon Roundabout back to Derriford

17:27 SERVICE 43 UPDATE: will not serve Ernsettle. This service will terminate at the top of Biggin Hill.

17:29 SERVICES 35/35A and 61/62: these services will terminate at the Cherry Tree (so will run City Centre - Cherry Tree and back) on main roads only.

17:29 SERVICE 44 UPDATE: this service will not serve Whitleigh Green or Taunton Avenue. This will be a main road service only.

17:38 CURRENT SITUATION: We are now running a very restricted network for the rest of today. We are trying to take people home and maintain a link between Derriford Hospital and the City Centre. We have major disruption due to ice. Thank you all for your cooperation

17:52 SERVICE 12 UPDATE: this service has been suspended.

18:02 Unfortunately we have had to suspend the service 50, 50A, 51 & 51A. Apologies for any incovenience

18:11 we will now only be running the following services. Serv 5 to Elburton Roundabout. Serv 21 St Budeaux - Lord Louis. Serv 42 to Derriford. The serv 43 to St Budeaux. 70B to Torpoint. All other services are suspended. We apologise for all inconveniences caused.

18:40 Last services will run from Royal Parade on our adverse weather network at 11pm. Service 5/5a/21/21a/34/42/43/70B are the nly routes running some are part routes due to road closers etc. Sorry for any inconvenience.

20:31 Due to weather advice we have taken the decision to run our last services from Royal Parade tonight at 10pm not 11pm the last services will run to their end point and return to depot after 10pm. Sorry for any inconvenience.

22:03 Friday morning Weather permitting we hope to run some limited services from 05.30am these will most likely be 5/5a Main road Saltash to Billacombe road, 34 Royal Parade to Derriford not serving Durnford street or Albert Road. Services 21/21a St Budeaux to Lord Louis only.......

.....Service 42 City to Derriford, 43 City to St Budeaux and 70 Torpoint to City centre via union street not serving Goad Ave. All other services are not likely to run before 8.30am at the earliest this will be reviewed on an ongoing basis in the morning. Sorry for inconvenience.

Friday 2nd March

After the expected icy start to the day it was a case of testing the roads and slowly getting the buses back out on routes…

06:46 Good Morning, most buses are now out and operating a very limited service very much to yesterday, updates to follow very shortly

07:03 SERVICE 5/5A UPDATE: Saltash this service will run between Callington Road and the Ploughboy (both directions) only. We cannot serve anywhere else in Saltash. Plymstock will run up the main road as far as Elburton Roundabout

07:05 SERVICE 8 & 9 these services will continue to not serve Efford. They will go as far as Laira Green roundabout where they will turn and go back.

07:07 SERVICE 12, this service will be operating between Plymouth & Callington only

07:21 SERVICE 16: this service will now terminate at Lower Ham.

07:43 The service 5 & 5A are operating via Callington Rd in Saltash & from the City Centre to Elburton Roundabout via Billacombe Rd

07:46 The service 8 & 9 are operating direct via Laira Narrows to Laira roundabout only.

07:47 The service 12 is operating from Plymouth to Callington only. The service 12B is currently suspended

07:51 The service 14 is now attempting it's normal route with the exception of the Mount Wise loop

07:52 The service 16 is operating only as far as Lower Ham

07:53 The service 20 is currently suspended but the route is being tested

07:53 The service 21 & 21A to Plympton are terminating at Strode Road. The Barne Barton service is terminating at St Budeaux square

07:55 The service 23 & 24 are operating as normal

07:56 The service 25 is not serving Walker Terrace

07:57 The Service 33 is not serving Station Rd or Warleigh Avenue

07:58 The Service 34 is not serving Albert Rd

07:59 The service 35 is not serving Dingle Rd or Merrivale Rd

07:59 The service 40 & 41 are only servicing as far as Crownhill

08:00 The service 42 variations are servicing as far as Derriford & Woolwell only

08:02 The service 43 is operating only as far as Higher St Budeaux

08:02 The service 50/51 variations are not servicing Leigham or Estover, operating direct from Marsh Mills to Derriford Hospital. The service 50A & 51A are also not serving Whitleigh & Loosleigh

08:09 The service 61 & 62 are not serving Coombe Park Lane, Sheridan Rd, Chaucer Way or St Pancras Avenue

08:11 Update: Southway and Whitleigh services returning to normal route.

08:13 The service 27 & 28 are currently suspended but we are working to have these services operating as soon as possible

08:24 SERVICE 44 UPDATE: this service is now running its normal route.

08:30 IVYBRIDGE: Unfortunately we cannot serve Ivybridge until further notice. PLYMPTON: We are reviewing the road conditions here, update to follow

08:34 SERVICE 5/5A UPDATE: We have changed the diversion on this route, all services will now serve The Broadway to Elburton and back

08:52 SERVICE 14 UPDATE: Normal service, not serving Mutton Cove

08:52 SERVICE 16 UPDATE: this service is now back to its normal route.

09:05 SERVICE 27/28 UPDATE: services are now starting to run via Higher Compton as far as the bottom of Deer Park

09:05 SERVICE 43 UPDATE: this is now running a normal service.

09:13 SERVICE 21/21A UPDATE: Barne Barton is now in service. We are reviewing the Plympton end of this route. Updates to follow

09:15 SERVICE 12 UPDATE: this service is now operating as far as Launceston but will not be serving Stoke Climsland.

09:25 ALBERT ROAD UPDATE: we can now serve Albert Road (all services 34, 70/A)

09:25 SERVICE 33 UPDATE: the diversion on this service has changed. We will now be able to serve St Levans Road INBOUND.

09:33 GO-CORNWALL UPDATE: We're sorry to announce that there will be NO SERVICE on the services 72/A, 73/A, 74/174, 75, 76, 77/A or 79/A/B due to the geographical locations of destinations on the route and the poor road conditions/lack of gritting

09:34 SERVICE 21/A UPDATE: we will now be able to serve Mudge Way, Glen Road, Langage Roundabout and back.

09:38 SERVICE 42/A/B: this service will now be serving Dunnet Road

09:46 SERVICE 11 UPDATE: we are running a normal service on this route. Please expect some delays as we navigate the roads.

09:51 Please note that the Plymouth Citycoach Cardiff Shopper Trip on Saturday 3 March has been cancelled. You can re-book to go on the 17th March or get a refund. Please contact the Citycoach team to arrange

09:56 SERVICE 42: is now running as normal. SERVICE 42A/B: is only running as far as the bottom of Dunnet Road

09:58 SERVICE 20/A/B UPDATE: this service is running but only as far as Plympton

10:26 SERVICE 12B: we are now running a full service, but will not be serving Stoke Climsland. First service on this route is the 10AM departure from Royal Parade, which is running on time.

10:31 SERVICE 50/51: this will now serve Leigham (including Asda) but not Keswick Crescent

10:40 SERVICE 42A/B UPDATE: this service will now serve Tamerton Foliot.

10:53 SERVICE 5/5A UPDATE: this service is now running the full route in Plymstock but will not serve Holmwood Avenue.

10:55 SERVICE 61/62 UPDATE: this service is now running as normal

10:59 SERVICE 50/51 UPDATE: this service is now running its full route but will not be serving Keswick Crescent

11:01 SERVICE 35 UPDATE: this service is now running its normal route

11:16 SERVICE 33 UPDATE: this is now running a normal service. SERVICE 33 UPDATE: this is now running a normal service

11:27 SERVICE 5/5A UPATE: this service is now operating the full route in Saltash. This entire service is now running as normal apart from not serving Holmwood Avenue

12:13 SERVICE 8/9 UPDATE: This service is now running as normal

12:32 SERVICE 21/21A UPDATE: We have attempted to serve St.Maurice, but unfortunately the roads are not suitable due to parked cars

13:04 SERVICE 25 UPDATE: This service is now operating as normal

14:21 SERVICE 21/21A UPDATE: We are now serving Wolverwood Lane. This may change as it becomes dark due to a fallen tree. Please check for updates.

15:13 SERVICE 11/11A UPDATE: The service 11 from Royal Parade to Liskeard and Padstow, the last trip will be 1840. The service 11A from Padstow to Liskeard only, the last trip will be 1730. No service after these times this evening

15:18 SERVICE 50/50A UPDATE: We are now serving Keswick Crescent. This service is operating as normal except for Holly Park

15:48 SERVICE UPDATE 70/70A RAME: This service is now operating as normal

Saturday 3 March and its all just about over!

08:16 Service Update Good News. We are pleased to announce with the exception of Cornwood and Cole Lane in Ivybridge we are operating a full running service in Plymouth. We still have closures at St Cleer and Lower Tremar on Service 72 and a closure at Bodrigan Rd on service 72

This post is just to show how hard Plymouth Citybus worked to keep services running and more importantly how hard they tried to keep passengers informed. On the whole passengers accepted it and were grateful for the updates and there were plenty of messages of thanks for the drivers and messages for them to keep safe.

Back in January 2010 I ran a similar post looking at tweets from Plymouth Citybus and First Devon & Cornwall…

As was expected the weather caused major problems in Plymouth yesterday. Having logged onto Twitter first thing in the morning I was please to see that buses were running on the main roads. It was clear that didn't include Keswick crescent but I managed to walk up the hill quite easily. Had I checked Twitter again just before I left home I would have picked up the message that Citybus were withdrawing all services as it was now snowing heavily. The message had got through to a few others at the bus stop so I set off on the long walk towards Derriford. Just up the road by Estover College I came across a FDC 15 stuck in the middle of the road half way up the hill, with another one stuck at the top trying to come down. To my surprise a 47 came along Dover Road heading towards Derriford so I jumped on that, but it didn't get very far as it joined a queue of Citybuses stuck at the bottom of the hill near Thornbury School!

December 2010 We don't often get snow in Plymouth, and we certainly haven't had the volume of snow that many places have. Being a Saturday meant for once I had a chance to get out with the camera to see how the buses were getting on.

Rebuilding

The constant stream of storms (and more on the way) has really highlighted the poor transport links for the region. While we have the ears of government (i.e. while its in the news!) the City Council have been pressing hard:

Plymouth City Council leader Councillor Tudor Evans who chaired the recent meeting, said;

"We are pleased that the Secretary of State for Transport saw at first hand the damage that has severed our rail link. We are grateful that he took the time to come to Plymouth to listen to the Council leaders, MPs and business leaders across the South West reiterate their call for urgent action. It was extremely constructive and heartening to hear the commitment to this immediate problem.

"The minister also acknowledged this was not a heritage rail restoration project. It is a modern engineering project and heard our calls to start future proofing the railway."

The meeting was given assurances from the minister that the funding for emergency work would be available - 'no question about it'.

• They heard that Network Rail, depending on this weekend's storm, were confident the immediate repairs could be carried out within the next six weeks
• Significant progress was underway to create alternative transport in and out of the west country
• The minister was able to report that fare reductions to compensate passengers for their inconvenience and to minimise long term damage to passenger levels had already been secured
• We need to get the message out that although the rail link is broken – the South West remains open for business
  Councillor Evans added: "He has told us we will get a better rail link than we had this time last week."

Normal for Dawlish…

©Adam Burt (cc) November 2012

With trains so disrupted there is more than enough rail replacement work available for local bus companies. Plymouth Citycoach have been busy on this work for some time now, but with recent events are increasing their fleet to cope:

With the line now closed at Bridgewater and Castle Carey rail replacement will now be between Plymouth and Bristol. We have five coaches and seven drivers coming from Go South Coast on long term loan and we have two coaches coming from Oxford on short term loan

---

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Rather windy and wet

I am sure I am not the only one who has welcomed the return of my favourite bus blog:  Omnibuses One of his first few posts looked at bus operator use of social media, in particular Facebook which is in the headlines as its ten years old now.

But I coincide that there’s nothing else like Facebook or Twitter—approaching eight years old—for getting messages out quickly… That’s why I believe a bus operator can’t really manage without Facebook these days. And few don’t

Omnibuses 2 Feb

I know several in the industry who really dont like Facebook, but even they concede that in time of crisis such as bad weather, it really comes into its own. Its certainly being used well at the moment when we are seeing an endless tide of storms across Devon & Cornwall which is causing unprecedented damage across the transport network. So lets have a look back over the last few days to see how our local operators have got their message across to passengers. This is to see how well they are using social media and also to keep as a record of just how bad things are out there…

Plymouth Citybus have been fairly quiet on Facebook, but then few city services have been really affected so far.

Due to the weather and closure of lanes on the Tamar Bridge there is major disruption to services in Saltash. School buses are being met in Saltash and the students transferred onto smaller buses. Torpoint services are also disrupted as there has only been one ferry running. We are told that there will soon be three ferries working so the delays should ease. Service 25 diverted away from the Hoe sea front as the road has been closed.

First Devon were a lot busier of Facebook as some of their routes were badly affected:

All everything ran out of the depots this morning as scheduled. We are dependant on the same sources as the general public for traffic information and road closures, local radio, Devon & Cornwall Police traffic watch etc. We often don't know about a problem until one of our drivers contacts us about a problem on his route. All Plymouth town services are operating but expect localised delays due to slow moving traffic and ground water. No news from drivers on service 76 so we are assuming this is operating normally. The 93 is currently unable to service via Slapton/Torcross so is operating via A3122 via Totnes Cross Garage to Kingsbridge. This will leave A379 and the villages along between Dartmouth & Kingsbridge without a service for the time being, updates on that when we get them. Service 81, 3 ferries now operating, cliff road not being served due to the high winds.

PLYMOUTH
Services 1, 1A & 76 encountering severe delays due to the Tamar Bridge lane restrictions. Traffic is queuing both sides and high sided vehicles, motorcycles and caravans are prevented from crossing the bridge.

Devon & East Cornwall: 08:30 a quick update but things will no doubt change rapidly as the morning goes on but here goes for now.... 93 Kingsbridge to Dartmouth - Slapton Sands CLOSED due to flooding diverted via Totnes.... 89 Tavistock - tree down between Town Centre and old swimming pool, slight delays but may close road later to remove.... Gunnislake Bridge remains CLOSED (not that we go that way often).... Torpoint - Sheviock to Anthony CLOSED by Police, 81's not using the cliff top rd due to the winds so direct to Millbrook, Cawsand and Kingsand disrupted, Plymouth - localised flooding not causing service changes as yet but delays expected.... take care and back soon with some more as things develop..

PLYMOUTH
Mountbatten turning circle on service is likely to be closed due to high tides and flooding. Our service will turn at the previous roundabout.

TORPOINT
Due to the road closures between Anthony & Treburley we are unable to serve Crafthole.
Also not servicing along Whitsand Bays cliff top rd to Kingsand and Cawsand and the queue for the ferry is through the town and causing severe disruptions.

Service 93. It's sounding extremely unlikely that the Slapton Sands road A379 is likely to reopen in the near future due to storm damage. We understand structural engineers have been called to asses the situation. We will update as more information becomes available.

A passenger asks: We really could do with knowing what will happen to the "school" bus in the morning. We will have to make alternative arrangements if necessary and trying to do it at 0630 in the morning will be difficult.

First reply: we are as keen to know as you, unfortunately the council is unlikely to inform us directly so we will be finding out ourselves tomorrow. All I can say is if the road shows as closed on the Devon & Cornwall police traffic watch page late this evening and tomorrow morning that the service will almost certainly operate directly between Dartmouth & Kingsbridge missing the Strete Slapton parts of the route.

This does illustrate the frustration that must be shared by transport managers. Passengers need answers to questions that they cant answer! Another comment from a passenger caught my eye..

On the 93 not being able to serve Slapton Sands

So wat about us in the villages that have appts to be at...

First reply: Its unfortunate but we are at the mercy of the weather conditions, we will aim to operate a service that offers the least disruption along its entire length. As the road has been closed we have no access along it.

To see an example of what can happen when a bus attempts to use a road which has been closed see here…

First Cornwall have had a fair bit to say too

All everything ran out of the depots this morning, we have not cancelled any services. We are dependant on the same sources as the general public for traffic information, such as local radio, Devon & Cornwall Police site. The first we know that a service can't get through a stretch of road is when the driver informs us. the only issue I'm aware of currently is around St Keverne & Coverack with fallen trees, this may effect the 36 and any college service.

Which prompted a response

seriously why don't first cornwall have c.b. radios for the drivers to communicate it confuses me!

radios to communicate over a large area such as Cornwall would require a large infrastructure of very costly equipment to give the range required. Drivers would be unable to use them whilst moving anyway. they work ok in a town environment for taxi's or local services, once you get a few miles out your better relying on the mobile phone networks, in some of the rural areas of Cornwall of course even this is patchy.

Another comment raises a good question

Info on Radio Cornwall regards your trains, *nothing* about busses.

to which First have replied:

It's easy to quote about a single stretch of railway line that flooded, compared to hundreds of miles of roads in the Cornwall area. We would encourage all travelling public (what ever the choice of travel or operator) to check the local radio & sites such as the Devon & Cornwall Police traffic watch page to see if they are liable to be affected in there local area. We can only post specific information when we actually know a problem exists.

I have to say I do like how First work on Facebook. They do their best to answer questions and will stand up and state why they make decisions and how and why its difficult to provide services which passengers demand.

Western Greyhound: have been busy on their Facebook page too in a slightly;y different way to First in that they have also shared lots of information from other sources which may be useful to their passengers including several inks to weather forecasts and some dramatic satelite images!

Below is an update of the services not running, and expected not to run for the rest of today:
1445 594 Truro to Wadebridge
1445 586 Newquay to Truro
1515 597 Truro to Newquay
1525 576 Launceston to Plymouth
1530 555 Bodmin Parkway to Padstow
1540 586 Truro to Newquay
1600 594 Wadebridge to Truro
1630 555 Padstow to Bodmin Parkway
1645 588 Truro to Perranporth
1705 576 Plymouth to Launceston
1730 555 Bodmin Parkway to Padstow
1835 556 Padstow to Newquay
All other services should be running normally, though maybe delayed.
Please note that unless otherwise informed, we expect to return to a full service for tomorrow and Friday. With more bad weather expected on Saturday.
Road remains closed between Duloe and St Keyne on Service 573
All other services are operating but please bear in mind there may be delays.

First Great Western have been really badly hit by these storms but they have very little on Facebook. They seem to prefer Twitter to anything else. Stagecoach Devon dont do Facebook at all!

Finally a selection of weather related tweets

Here is a picture of the line at Dawlish and the reason why we are currently unable to run trains through to the west pic.twitter.com/eODkhNPxah

— First Great Western (@FGW) February 5, 2014

#PlymouthAware Offshore wave height peaked at 10m this morning, it is currently running at 6m. Although Force 8-9 winds anticipated til 2am

— Plymouth Police WCO (@Plympolicewco) February 5, 2014

@FGW Another dramatic #dawlish picture... pic.twitter.com/V4OmlnFsXt

— Steve (@foo_the_huck) February 5, 2014

Remember, this is what Dawlish is facing. Tweet @Number10gov and make sure they know Devon want's it sorting out. pic.twitter.com/rMwNwA6R3X

— #DevonHour (@Devon_Hour) February 5, 2014

I shall leave the final word to First who put sum it all up in a nice simple graphic:

Hot stuff

Lets get it right out at at the start of this post – I do not like this hot weather. I can cope with cold but I really cant cope with heat. Well it seems to me that its not just me. It does appear that quite a few of the buses don't like the excessive heat either. It may just be coincidence but I am sure I have either been on, or seen more poorly buses over the last couple of weeks than I do normally.

Last week after a nice meal at the Jack Rabbit with my son, we rushed down the hill to the welcome sight of Western National liveried Trident 32716  waiting at the stop on the 15. Ideal for us as it saved us hanging around for the 50. Sat upstairs in the boiling heat and waited for the bus to leave. Several attempts to start the bus later it was apparent that it was not going anywhere. Bus fares refunded and then onto the 50 instead. I saw 32716 sitting at Derriford again later in the week not in service – poorly again by the look of it and the bored looking driver.

Friday morning I was waiting for the 50 to work due at my stop at 07:40. Still waiting at 07:50 when a Dart came into view at the top of the hill instead of the more usual Citaro. It was Plymouth Citybus 2 N102UTT and it clearly was not a happy bus. You could see why the bus was late when the driver pulled up to the stop and jumped out of his seat to open the door! His first bus had broken down and this was all they could give him at the time. The non functioning door was the least of the issues. It seems that this bus had major front suspension issues as well. It was bouncing around all over the place! Remember the back seats of the old Leyland Nationals? Just like that! It also then grounded at every speed bump along Miller Way. A really awful ride. It was helped though by an excellent driver with great humour and apologising to all passengers who tried to get aboard. He gave up at Derriford and was taking the bus back out of service to Milehouse. The next 50 should have been almost right behind us by the time we reached Derriford anyway. I have to say this was probably the worse condition Citybus I have been on. Most unusual for them so they must have been really short of buses, or this one was sent out in error.

Seen in happier times back in 2007. These used to be regulars on the 50 back then.

The fun didn't end there. Whilst chatting to one of the Target Travel Park & Ride drivers we were alerted to the sound of a very poorly Target Travel Solo attempting to leave the bus stop and get up the hill. Not sure which one it was -  one of the SA02 Glasgow buses. It managed to reach the zebra crossing and then with smoke billowing out the back it ground to a halt! My friend then assisting the driver so he could roll it back down the hill into the taxi rank so other buses could leave. I was about to take a video clip but my 50 came in and I couldn't wait. A few mins later the 52 driver did get her going again and did get up the hill. We didn't see her again so she didn't break down before Asda at least!

The topic of overheated buses has become quite a discussion over on Plymouth Citybus’ Facebook pages too. Citybus issued this timely advice to its passengers:

Hot Weather Advice: As the temperature shows no sign of falling anytime soon, please be careful when travelling by bus. We know that some of our vehicles can get very warm so please drink plenty of water, try to wear light clothing and be aware of hot metal surfaces on board. We try to do everything we can to keep our vehicles cool, for the comfort of our passengers, but it just isn't possible to further increase the airflow at the speed buses travel.

Quite a few people mentioned that the heating was on on their bus.

Plymouth Citybus We can assure you all that the heating is not on the buses. The engine and general heat of the bus heats the pipes and makes it seem that way. Unfortunately, there is very little we can about about this.

And as for air conditioning:

Plymouth Citybus Unfortunately, it isn't us that design the buses and as much as we'd like all of our vehicles to have air conditioning, it is a very expensive addition, not just to fit on the bus but to run.

Of course not all Citybus passengers had it quite so bad yesterday:

Richard Smith caught this shot of 358 with a happy bunch of passengers on Friday afternoon. Pretty much every bus passenger looking out of the window seeing this bus go past would have been very jealous indeed!

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PT RECOMMENDS

• Yes it's that time of year again when we say a fond farewell to Plymouth Citybus' Volvo B10Ms! In all seriousness, it really does seem that this year will finally be the final year of the yellow beasts dominating the school gates PTOTPA
• The 172/72 has been described as one of the most scenic bus routes in South Wales. It originates in the valley town of Aberdare, travels over mountains offering some spectacular views of the Rhondda before terminating down some 42 miles later in the seaside resort of Porthcaw Omnibuses
• Name the official supplier of bus timetables in London? There isn't one - CORRECT Public Transport Experience

Here we go again!

Plymouth Citybus

Morning Plymouth. Major problems due to flooding:-
Plympton: Plymouth Road Skew Bridge and St. Mary's and Glen Road past the Police Station:
Service 20 diverted via Moorland Road to The George on The Ridgeway.
Services 21, 21A and 21B diverted via Larkham Lane, Plymbridge Road, Glen Road to The Ridgeway.
Plymstock: Billacombe Road to Billacombe r/b:
Services 5 and 5A diverted via Pomphlett Road.
A38 closed Marsh Mills to Deep Lane:
Service 45 diverted Plymouth Road, Larkham Lane, Plymbridge Road, The Ridgeway, Deep Lane to the A38.
Expect delays to all routes.
Merry Christmas!

Western Greyhound

Good morning! It has been raining heavily all night and details are begining to emerge of flooding in the area. This includes the 591/2 route through Perranporth, buses have been turned back by the Environmental Agency and also on the A38 between Treruefoot and Saltash, although this is still passable with care at the moment. Please be patient if your bus is delayed, our team is doing their best. Further heavy and persistent rain is forecast through the morning, leading to a risk of further localised flooding. We regret that due to staff sickness, the Travelshop and enquiry Line will be late opening this morning. For those travelling further afield the main railway line between Plymouth and Taunton is closed due to flooding as is the Liskeard to Looe banch line.

Buses are unable to leave Newquay via the A3075 at Tevemper due to flooding affecting 547, 585/6 and 591/2 and the Liskeard - Duloe - Sandplace road is closed due to flooding affecting 572 and 573

The rain as it happened

The weather has been a bit of an issue over the last few days, and it looks like it will be for a day or so yet. These snippets are just a taster of the chaos out there. This is the story as it happened – on Twitter:

22nd November

#plymouthaware wind picking up in the city now-the next two to three hours will the key period-plan ahead & drive carefully #police

— DevonCornwall Police (@DC_Police) November 22, 2012

#plymouthaware just hearing Gdynia Way has now flooded police & highways putting diversions in place please be sensible & patient #police

— DevonCornwall Police (@DC_Police) November 22, 2012

Gdynia Way closed - inbound traffic from Plymstock diverted via Hele’s Terrace, the Embankment, Marsh Mills and Manadon #plymouthaware

— PCC (@plymouthcc) November 22, 2012

Crews have successfully dealt with flooding at 54 sites across the city today. Still working at five sites. #plymouthaware

— PCC (@plymouthcc) November 22, 2012

23rd November

#devonaware #plymouthaware #cornwallaware The calm after the storm, a largely quiet start. We will continue to update as and when required.

— DevonCornwall Police (@DC_Police) November 23, 2012

#plymouthaware forecast rain seems later sat poss 2pm - PCC highways (Amey) & SWW have extra crews on and emergency room is ready if needed

— Plymouth Police Cdr (@PlymPoliceCdr) November 23, 2012

24 November

#plymouthaware Old Laira Road starting to flood again after being pumped out this morning - crews in attendance again

— PCC (@plymouthcc) November 24, 2012

#plymouthaware Gdynia Way closed and flooding at Ride caravan park

— Plymouth Police Cdr (@PlymPoliceCdr) November 24, 2012

#plymouthaware multiple sites flooded now in city please travel only if essential and do not enter water

— Plymouth Police Cdr (@PlymPoliceCdr) November 24, 2012

#plymouthaware Following roads closed: Sutton Rd, Gdynia Way (inbound), Staddiscombe Rd at junct with Bovisand Lane, The Ride, Vinery Lane

— PCC (@plymouthcc) November 24, 2012

#plymouthaware Colebrook Village closed, tanker on site and additional pump en route, sandbags on way to Colebrook Inn, police on site

— PCC (@plymouthcc) November 24, 2012

25th November

UK Flooding latest: 243 flood alerts, 212 flood warnings, 4 severe flood warnings. Live @envagency flood map ow.ly/fyclA

— Met Office Storms (@metofficestorms) November 25, 2012

#plymouthaware All roads now open except for Ringmore Way, Vinery Lane and junction of Staddiscombe Road and Bovisand Lane

— PCC (@plymouthcc) November 25, 2012

Shocking scenes of flooding in Cornwall and around the country. Govt will help ensure everything is being done to help.

— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) November 25, 2012

Just a reminder that due to severe disruption across the network we are advising against travelling if at all possible. ^Paul

— First Great Western (@FGW) November 25, 2012

Another pic of flood waters at Cowley Bridge, Exeter. Worsening road cndtns affecting replacement transport in area twitter.com/FGW/status/272…

— First Great Western (@FGW) November 25, 2012

#plymouthaware Flooding at Forder Valley but passable with care. Crews on site, pumping away water.

— PCC (@plymouthcc) November 25, 2012

#plymouthaware The tree that closed the #A38 at Notter Bridge. Credit to Andy Moir twitter.com/eyejayjayjones…

— Jay Jay Jones (@eyejayjayjones) November 25, 2012

I will be having a closer look at how the buses managed later in the week! Take care out there...

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Bloggers

• Nevertheless, the more I look at social media, the more I am unconvinced by it, Luddite that I seem to be. When recently I asked some questions in a small survey, I predicted that I would be in the minority. That has certainly proved to be the case: Omnibuses
• The good news is that our friend has found a way of persuading me that, after 2,500 miles of successful motoring this year, now is the time for Winter hibernation. The bad news is that we may now have a major job to add to the list... 270KTA
• Blackpool Transport's final Metrorider 512 (S512LHG) was delivered to Blackpool Council's Streetscene Department as the new mess bus for the Track Services team today. Fylde Bus Blog
• Shoreline Suncruisers started operating on Scarborough seafront in March 1991. It runs the seafront service 109 from the Corner Cafe in the peaceful North Bay to the Spa Complex at the end of the hustle and bustle of the sun filled South Bay Public Transport Experience
• Okay this post should have been a photo reportage of our event at Maker Junction, Maker Heights, but yesterday saw a series of unfortunate events that culminated in hours of chaotic scenes but at the same time, calm & organised. Here's what happened from our perspective.. Hidden Plymouth
• There are many who may well doubt the sanity of a nearly-68-year-old going on safari to Sheffield. To ride on buses! Public Transport Experience
• The current operation is run by Connex and while looking at the pay and conditions CT Plus would inherit, quite a can of worms was uncovered. A Transport of Delight

a bit wet

 

Well its certainly been a bit of a wet day today.

Plymouth Citybus Facebook:

Good morning we have major problems across the network with closed roads due to flooding. We cannot serve Tamerton Foliot - buses will terminate at Dunnet Road. The school service from Kingsbridge will only operate from Yealmpton inwards as the road is closed beyond Yealmpton Although passable there are floods on Outland Road, The Embankment, Peverell Park Road, Wolesley Road, Alma Road, Pike Road, Lipson Vale, Plymouth Road and Sutton Road

We are also aware of floods on Southway Drive and at Staddiscombe although both these roads are passable with care.

We apologise for the service distruptions this morning as we have sections of Plymouth that are shut due to flooding for example Tamerton Foliot and Gdynia Way. There is gridlock traffic on Mannamead Road and flooding on Outland Road and Alma Road. You will experience high delays as we have various diversions in place and traffic is taking alternate routes to avoid the closed areas.Please bear with us, we apologise and will update as and when we can.

First Devon & Cornwall

to let you all know that we are experiencing flooding locally due to overnight rains in some areas of Devon and around Plymouth. Although it has stopped raining this may cause some service disruption while the waters drain away and cars are recovered. Most affected areas are the A379 at Dunstone Cross (93 service), Gydinia Way (PR2, X80, 88, 180) and Stadiscombe (service 6).

... we expect Gydinia Way to be the biggest issue as last report was 5 feet of water and 2 cars part submerged. Traffic is building up along The Embankment so the knock-on effect could go on longer than the flooding itself.

It appears the flooding at Gydinia Way has knocked-on and caused City Centre congestion which has affected these services. We apologise for the disruption and hope you will appreciate the cause was outside of our control.

.... just in aswell from BBC Travel Southwest is that the A385 Marley Head to Shinners Bridge is closed due to flooding,

... to add... local flooding in Plympton (180 service) and A388 Launceston to Callington (76 service).

... to keep you updated with the flood issues the East End of Plymouth remains problematic where traffic along The Embankment is very slow caused by the flooding on Gydinia Way that is now starting to ease.
This has had a knock-on effect to all services including our Mountbatten service 2, Stadiscombe services 6 & 7, Wembury service 48, Kingsbridge & Dartmouth service 93. Although other areas are still reporting delays we are experiencing congestion as people attempt to bypass the trouble spots. As the traffic congestion eases we will be able to re-position our fleet to better correspond with our published timetables.

Well that was today. The poor weather is to continue with more bad weather due tomorrow so…

PLYMOUTH: We have just been notified by Plymouth City Council, that due to extreme weather conditions forecast tomorrow (Thursday). The Plymouth Xmas light switch on is not going ahead as planned and therefore the PR1/PR2 will operate the usual timetable. The lights will still be switched on however there will be no entertainment or stage events.

Its not just the local buses either:

Due to flooding the Sleeper services both to and from London Paddington have been cancelled tonight. Apologies for the inconvenience.

— First Great Western (@FGW) November 21, 2012

 

Finally on Facebook we had a reply to a question “Is it true that Stagecoach are taking over in Plymouth?”

To all who have expressed interest in this topic, while we appreciate the interest that you have all shown in the First UK Bus disposal process there is nothing we can tell you about it here. There is much speculation around the UK and the disposal process in general, but as things stand there is nothing that we can confirm. It is also worth noting that much of the speculation is just that: speculation. Where anything changes in relation to the disposal process our staff, customers and stakeholders will be the first to be told. Thanks (BK)

An ice day in Plymouth

Another day starts with ice on the roads causing chaos.

Well yesterday was fun again wasn't it? No one can say it wasn't expected: FLASH Warning of Widespread Icy Roads for South West England valid from 1700 Sun to 1100 Mon 01 Feb and they were right - it was quite icy first thing in the morning. Citybus could see problems ahead when they posted on Twitter at 9:33pm on Sunday "Expect problems on Monday morning if no gritting is done". You can see below how the day went from the bus companies perspective. I just missed the last 15 that went through Mainstone towards Asda and just before that a 50 came down through Keswick Crescent with no problem at all. Waiting on Miller way though it was clear that conditions were getting worse, not better. I finally got a 50 at just after 8:30 which slowly and very carefully made its way through to Derriford. We saw three 15's coming the other way too so they were getting back to normal again pretty quickly. There were a few minor accidents and a lot of near misses - buses trying to turn into and out of Asda were having problems - glad I wasn't travelling that way myself. Sparksy on the Radio summed it up quite nicely: Very icy and roads don't seem to have been gritted. Be careful out there this morning! Bus routes were scrapped and motorists faced rush hour delays and diversions as a number of roads across Plymouth became dangerous or unpassable. Police had reports of a number of minor incidents, motorists reversing up one-way roads to avoid ice, injured cyclists and a crash involving a bus. At 8.20am a Plymouth Citybus bus, which was carrying passengers, skidded on ice on Commercial Road, Coxside, and hit bollards on the pavement. This is Plymouth Richard Holifield, Plymouth transport and highways manager, said seven gritters treated the city’s primary routes last night. An Early Morning Inspection (EMI) was also carried out at 4.30am today and the primary routes were re-treated. “This is still the normal routine at the moment,” he said.

First on Twitter / Facebook 31 Jan 2010 16:47 REMEMBER Followers of FirstBus_Devon as of 23:59 tonight go into draw to win a months free bustravel. Tell your friends http://bit.ly/aW6PFA 01 Feb 2010 Following diversions are in place due to ice in and around Plymouth: Service 1 Not servicing St Stephens. After Fore St operating up Callington Road, turning into Church Road and operating back to Fore St via Long Park Rd Service 1A Not servicing Yellowtor Rd Service 2 Not servicing Pomphlett Close and Forresters Road. Using Pomphlett Road and Dean Cross Road in both directions Service 3 Not servicing Barne Barton Following diversions are in place due to ice in and around Plymouth: Service 4 Not servicing Admiralty Street and Royal Navy Ave. After HMS Drake transitting Saltash Road, Wolseley Road to Henderson Place. Service 6 Not servicing Oreston. Diverting via Pomphlett Road and Dean Cross Road both directions. Service 7 Not servicing Woolwell. Turning around at Tesco roundabout. Following diversions are in place due to ice in and around Plymouth: Service 11 Not servicing St Pancras Ave or Honicknowle Green Service 15 Not servicing Asda or Mainstone. Icing on Miller Way buses terminating at Derriford Hospital Hopefully situation should improve as the sun intensifies. We are sorry for any inconvenience 10:34 NORTH DEVON: Delays expected on service X9 due to an accident at Okehampton (icy conditions) Will update ASAP Citybus on Twitter / Facebook 31 Jan 2010 21:13 Icy roads are disrupting services already this evening. Austin Crescent and Keswick Crescent are off limits. Expect problems on Monday morning if no gritting is done which seems unlikely based on past experience. Updates will be posted tomorrow morning once we have an idea of any problem areas 1 Feb 2010 07:01Most minor and some main roads in Plymouth are very icy. Buses are operating on the main roads only in many areas of the City. St Peter's Road is definately out as is Merafield. Yellowtor Road and Pilmere are out with the service 26 turning at the Ploughboy Inn. More details as they come in 07:26 Kings Tamerton, Bircham View and Austin Crescent are out. No sign of gritters and no one answering phones at Highways 08:47 Barne Barton is the latest area to add to the list of places we cannot serve. Problems now on the Barbican, Ringmore Way, Honicknowle Green, and we have a bus stuck in Oreston. Please take care out there. Cattedown, St Pancras Avenue, and ASDA are all now out of bounds to buses. 09:37 Due to a Police road closure in the Efford area the services 46 and 47 are now unable to serve Lower Compton or Efford Crematorium. Buses have been diverted via Eggbuckland Road and Henders Corner 10:07 Efford Road now repoened. services 46 and 47 back to normal route. Still slippery in the area so expect some delays 10:54 Kings Tamerton now open service 16 back to normal. St Peter's Road is also open again to buses 11:37 Now back in ASDA, Pilmere (but not Yellowtor), and Austin Crescent - still checking other roads 12:13 Oreston now open. The only places currently not seeing buses are - Barne Barton, and Yellowtor Road. Inspections still ongoing in these areas. All services as normal bar these 12:36 Yellowtor Road is now ice free and so at last we can now say that all routes are open to us and everything is running as it should be. Thank you all for your patience today.

Snow Balls

We even started getting buses down Keswick Crescent

Just a quickie for now, but yesterday saw services pretty much getting back to normal in all but a few cases. First put out that the 15 was not serving Estover at 7:30 but by 08:30 it certainly was. We even started getting buses down Keswick Crescent. Cornwall is still seeing quite a bit of snow with many services being hit, and North Devon also seems to be suffering but even here things are beginning to return to normal. That said there was one story which illustrates another problem bus companies face in extreme weather: A BUS has been taken out of service after its windscreen was smashed with snowballs. A group of youths threw snowballs at a First National bus near the junction of Broadwalk and Beatrice Avenue in Saltash at 12.30pm on Wednesday. Saltash police are keen to hear from anybody who may have witnessed the incident and who may have any information leading to the identification of offenders. This is Plymouth Quite why the Evening Herald insist on calling the company First national is beyond me! Of course, the weather forecast for the weekend does suggest there is quite a bit more snow coming our way, so we could be right back where we started shortly - What fun!!

First on Twitter 8 Jan 2010 07:24 PLYMOUTH: services 5,12 & 13 operating as normal, Service 1/1A between Plymouth and Saltash is not serving St Stephens, Oaklands Drive or Yellowtor Road, Serv 2 operating but not serving Forresters Rd. Serv 6 operating but not serving Goosewell, Holmwood Ave & Broadway West, Service 7 is not serving Woolwell, Service 11 is not serving St Pancras Avenue or Honicknowle Green, Service 15 is not serving Estover, Asda, Mainstone, Service 17 is only serving Southway Drive in Southway and is not serving Dunnet Road or Clittaford Road. Service 76 between Plymouth, Callington and Launceston, is not serving Launceston, buses are terminating at Callington Service X80/180 between Plymouth & Torquay is not serving Cole Lane and the estates in Ivybridge & Westonfields in Totnes 08:00 Service 83/84/86 between Plymouth, Multley, Derriford Hospital, Yelverton & Tavistock are not serving Whitchurch, Services 87/89 are not currently operating, Service 93 between Plymouth, Kingsbridge and Dartmouth is operating as normal but not serving Aveton Gifford. 18:40 Adverse weather update - all services in North Devon will terminate at 2000 this evening as a result of falling temperatures. SALTASH Likely that services in area may be disrupted tonight. Advice is to wait at stops along mainroads as sideroads may not be passable. TAVISTOCK Servs. to/from area may be disrupted tonight. Advice is to wait at stops along mainroads as sideroads/estates may not be passable 19:08 PLYMOUTH/SOUTH DEVON TOMORROW: Providing there is no more snow & roads are gritted services should operate to same pattern as last few days Citybus on Twitter / Facebook 8 Jan 2010 06:31 FRIDAY 0631 - We are currently only unable to serve, Culver Way, St Georges Road, Austin Crescent, Merafield, Charfield Drive, Leatfield Drive, Whitleigh Green, Holly Park, Deer Park, Ringmore Way, Admiralty Street, Woodford, Steer Park, Keswick Crescent, Pilmere and Sheridan Road. There is still a lot of ice out there, please take great care 08:15 Sheridan Road is now open to buses. 08:36 Deer Park and Keswick crescent now open with care 09:51 Sorry but due to a burst water main we have been forced to pull services from St Pancras Avenue 09:53 Service 31 has been reinstated but will operate along Beacon Park Road rather than the side streets which are still icy 12:02 We are delighted to say that we have been able to restore the 58 and 59 services. They are operating the full route with the exceptions of Wotter Village and Roborough Village. If youlive along these routes - thanks for your patience 12:03 St Pancras Avenue has now been reopened following quick work to repair the burst water main. 12:24 Austin Crescent is now open to us. 12:40 Whitleigh Green now open services 44 44A back to normal Service 43B can now serve Ringmore Way but still cannot serve Holly Park the 43B is using Budshead Road and is then turning at Whitleigh Green 19:45 Provided that there is no overnight snow or rain we hope to operate a full network as shown. 19:46 Please visit our new NOTES page to check the status of your bus for Saturday. Click on the NOTES tab at the top of the page.