Bath to Devizes bus via Melksham - changing again in September
Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2010-08-04 09:16:09 - Graham Ellis
Update - August 2010 I now have details ... as from 5th September 2010, there are major changes to the buses from Bath to Melksham, Devizes and beyond. See [here] for new route diagram and times.
An early "alert". I heard a rumor that the 23:08 Bath to Melksham and Devizes bus was to be discontinued early in September - and that's a popular bus which gives people of those two towns the opportunity of a night out (it's quite busy late in the week). So I wrote to one of my contacts at county as follows:
There's a rumor flying around that the last bus from Bath to Melksham is to cease running early in September (part of routes 271 / 272 / 273). As this is a service which attracts Wiltshire Council Subsidy, and we're now within the six weeks notice necessary, I wonder if you could let me know of any charges to these routes that will be happening within that period, and also of any other longer term changes that you're aware of. Hopefully, I can give some publicity to your answer and either help scotch rumors, or alert people ahead of time.
Here's his reply (which I feel I should be publishing here as I specifically said I would!):
Hi Graham, whilst the 271/2/3 will be changing in September, the last bus at 2308 remains as at present. However, the daytime service will be terminating at Bowerhill, ie not going through to Devizes. Faresaver will be providing a 'replacement' daytime service to Devizes.
I'm not sure of the detail of what that means - whether people from Devizes will have to catch the Faresaver to Bowerhill and change onto a Bath bus there, or if it will be a through service. Nor do I know (I didn't ask - not really my "business") what's happening to the Potterne / Lavington / Easterton / Urchfont section of the 272 and 273 routes.
More updates to come, no doubt!
P.S. If Faresaver are running the daytime service to Devizes and First the evening buses, does it mean that return tickets will be interchangeable? This would be a long overdue improvement!
Comment by Anon (published 2010-08-04)Suggested link. Faresaver have an X72 timetable effective 5th September 2010 on their web page. Extra service in the morning and evening competing with current first timetale.note that the last bus to Devizes appear a request only past Bowerhill.