Devon County Council support bus service No. 359 from Exeter to Moretonhampstead via Dunsford, which is operated by Country Bus. I have recently been told that due to a very poor road surface Country Bus refuse to allow their buses to travel up/down Farrant’s Hill, to the east of the village on Dunsford. Instead the bus is having to take an unscheduled detour down the Teign Valley, to turn north onto the B3193 to rejoin the usual route at the bottom of Farrant’s Hill.
1. Have Country Bus detoured the route of the 359 due to the poor road surface at Farrant’s Hill?
Country bus have confirmed that they have currently diverted their buses away from Farrants Hill due to the condition of the road surface
2. If Country Bus have not detoured the route of the 359 due to the poor road surface at Farrant’s Hill then please may you provide an explanation as to why the bus is detouring the route via the Teign Valley road and the B3193 and when Country Bus will restart using the standard route?
This is question is not applicable following our response to question 1 above.
3. If Country Bus have not detoured the route of the 359 due to the poor road surface then do you have a plan to resurface the road at Farrant’s Hill with a quality of surface sufficient for the traffic that uses the road, which includes agricultural vehicles and heavy goods vehicles?
Investigations will be undertaken to determine what action is appropriate to improve the road surface. In the interim, arrangements are being made to erect warning signs advising drivers of the slippery road surface.