“New” service for Newton Abbot

Newton Abbot in South Devon has an estate called Buckland and is built on a steep hill.

A service 77 happily drives up round the estate in a circular route every 20 minutes for most of the day on low floor Optare Solos.

But, the amenities in Buckland like the community centre are all at the bottom of the Estate and so people who would take the service from the top of the estate to the community centre.

But wait, it's a circular service! How do elderly people who are too frail to walk back up the hill get back up to the top? Well, it involves a crazy trip back into the town and then back out again or an expensive taxi ride.

This was all realised and to cut a long story short, Stagecoach are introducing a "new" service to Buckland which would operate in the other direction in Buckland, Monday to Friday off peak.

But wasn't there a service in Buckland which went the other way but then the bus company said there was an issue of safety because of the cars parked on the hill in the estate and the ice that could be on the hill in the winter? I hear you cry!

Yes, there was – but for some reason, now, that doesn't seem so dangerous and Stagecoach are happy to introduce a "new" 78 which will operate from 23^rd November.

From what I've heard, it is going to operate every 30 minutes thus providing 5 buses an hour from the town to Buckland – you can't really complain!