Measures to tackle high numbers of late buses
UP to a quarter of Devon’s buses run late, making punctuality the “biggest challenge” for the county’s bus provider Stagecoach.
Simon Ford, head of commercial at Stagecoach South West, told Devon County Council’s cabinet meeting that around 75 to 80 per cent of its buses were on time, meaning up to a quarter fail to keep to schedule.
Stagecoach runs around 80 per cent of Devon’s buses.
Mr Ford was speaking as Devon cabinet members were discussing a report aimed at improving the timeliness of buses in Exeter, Newton Abbot and Barnstaple.
The meeting discussed proposals for the three areas, which will include measures to improve bus priority, such as better traffic light efficiency and monitoring, and the coordination of signalled crossings and junctions.
Messaging signs on the eastern and central corridors in Exeter would provide more information to drivers to help improve traffic flow, while the bus lane at car dealership Livery Dole would be extended, including by increasing bus lane operation times. It is expected that the measures in Exeter could save three minutes 20 seconds per bus on the eastern corridor and roughly four minutes on the central one.
The Newton Abbot scheme will focus on a route through the town centre, from Penn Inn roundabout on the A381, along Torquay Road, to Halcyon Road / Kingsteignton Road towards Balls Corner roundabout. The corridor services 28 different bus services, totalling over 200 buses a day on Kingsteignton Road and approximately 40 buses a day across Torquay Road.
Proposals include changes at existing signal junctions and crossings to improve bus priority, including measures that would extend the green traffic signal when a bus is detected. This would reduce the waiting time of a queuing bus.
The scheme in Barnstaple would involve an existing bus lane from Chaddiford Lane towards Barnstaple town centre, along the A361 Braunton Road. It is hoped it will speed up bus journeys by removing the requirement for buses to stop at two sets of traffic lights, as well as improving crossings for people walking and cycling.
Mr Ford welcomed the measures which could improve journeys for “hundreds of thousands of passengers”. “I fully support the proposals as they are key to allowing us to be reliable and punctual, the benefits of which will mean we grow passenger numbers and improve journey times,” he said.
Cllr Caroline Leaver (Liberal Democrat, Barnstaple South) said: “I understand that significantly fewer people are using buses in Devon than preCovid and these measures are part of efforts to bring them back and must be welcomed.”
However, she noted that more people had opposed the Barnstaple plan in the formal consultation than supported it. The report said just over half of respondents “strongly oppose the proposals” while a quarter “strongly agree”.
Cllr Carol Whitton (Labour, St Davids & Haven Banks) welcomed the initiatives, especially for the “highly congested city” of Exeter.
Funding for the schemes – set to cost a combined £2.8 million – has come from Devon’s £14 million grant from the Department for Transport (DfT) in 2022. The council cabinet approved the plans this week.