Stagecoach South West and Devon County Council have partnered to operate bus journeys from Exeter to Okehampton, Chulmleigh and Barnstaple, which will start from June 5.

The current operator of Services 315, 345 and 377 linking Exeter with Barnstaple, Okehampton and Chumleigh notified Devon County Council that it no longer wishes to operate these services so working in partnership with Devon County Council, Stagecoach South West will provide replacement services, which will start from Monday 5 June 2023.

Service 315 will be replaced by Service 5B, which will provide up to four journeys per day Monday to Saturday between Exeter and Barnstaple via Crediton, Winkleigh, Great Torrington and Bideford.  

 Hatherleigh and Okehampton will be served by the extension of existing Service 5 journeys between Exeter and Crediton, which will operate roughly every two hours. These journeys will be known as Service 5A.

 A number of Service 5 journeys between Exeter and Crediton will be extended to Chumleigh every two hours throughout the day Monday to Saturday. These journeys will be known as Service 5C.

 Through Services 5, 5A, 5B and 5C, buses will operate every 20 minutes between Exeter and Crediton throughout the day Monday to Saturday, with certain journeys continuing beyond Crediton towards Okehampton, Barnstaple and Chumleigh.

The new routes provide extensions beyond Stagecoach’s existing route 5 service which connects Exeter with Crediton via Cowley and Newton St Cyres. A 20 minute frequency will continue to be offered between Crediton and Exeter on Monday to Saturdays with 10 trips per day operating in each direction on a Sunday. The introduction of the new services will provide up to twenty additional journeys a day, Monday to Saturdays, connecting communities between Exeter and Okehampton, Chulmleigh or Barnstaple.

The timetables have been designed to offer connections for students travelling into Exeter college, and also to provide opportunities for residents across the region to commute into the city by bus. Buses will arrive into Exeter from 0800 in the morning, Monday to Fridays, with departures from Okehampton leaving at 0617, from Barnstaple at 0610 and Chulmleigh at 0645. The last bus departs Exeter for Okehampton at 1845, for Barnstaple at 1815 (connection from service 5) and for Chulmleigh at 1750. 

Stagecoach South West head of commercial Simon Ford, said: ‘We’re delighted to be in a position to be able to offer these services under contract to Devon County Council. We hope that communities across this part of our region will benefit from the addition of these services to our network. We’re proud to continue to offer connections to Exeter college and places of work across the city.’

For more information visit https://www.stagecoachbus.com/tickets