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Monday 9 Jul 2018

Network Rail provides funding for bus services in Hele during flood resilience road closure

Region & Route:

Wales & Western: Western

| Wales & Western

Network Rail is providing funding for buses in Bradninch, Devon, to allow for vital bus services to be maintained during the temporary closure of Station Road in Hele.

The road has been closed since 29 May to divert utility services as Network Rail is planning to carry out a flood resilience project in the area that will improve the reliability of train services.

Subject to planning consent, the work will involve replacing part of Station Road and the bridge leading to Devon Valley Mill with new structures that will allow more water to pass through them. The project will also include changing the gradient of some of the land on the approach to the level crossing to provide better drainage. This will reduce the number of incidents of flooding and their severity.

At a recent parish council meeting, residents raised concerns about the bus services during the temporary closure. Working with Stagecoach to overcome these issues, Network Rail will be providing extra funding to ensure-

• The provision of two bus services per hour
• The provision of services after 7pm
• The provision of early morning Saturday connections to Exeter, to arrive before 9am
• The provision of services to Westfield and Hele.

In the case of Hele, the bus will not serve the usual Hele Square stop due to the road closure, but will instead turn at the nearby junction of Station Road and Strathculm Road. All of the above changes will take effect from Monday 11 June.

Victoria Bradley, Network Rail’s project sponsor, said:  “We understand this temporary closure of Station Road has inconvenienced residents, which is why we want to do all we can to meet their needs. This includes making sure the affected bus services are reinstated and pedestrian access across the floodplain is maintained throughout.”

Robert Williams, Commercial Director of Stagecoach South West, said: “We are pleased to have been able to establish a constructive dialogue with Network Rail, and to secure funding to provide an enhanced shuttle service to more closely match the normal service and maintain a full range of connections for the affected communities”.

The shuttle runs between Bradninch and Cullompton, where passengers can change onto the normal service. Please see https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south-west/bradninch-shuttle-timetable-from-29-may-2018 for further details.