Stagecoach launches new Gold Service

More than 40 guests including the Mayor of Exmouth and county and district councillors joined Stagecoach at Darts Farm last week to celebrate the launch of the Exmouth Gold route 57 service.

From Monday 23 November, Stagecoach’s flagship brand will run seven days a week, up to every 15 minutes at peak times to and from Exeter and Exmouth, connecting with Topsham, Lympstone and Brixington along the route.

The £2.1m investment will see commuters, shoppers and other passengers benefit from 10 new luxury Stagecoach Gold double decker buses, all with free Wi-Fi and USB charging points, leather seats and extra legroom. The first six buses will go into service on Monday morning, with the others being added during the week.

Exmouth Town Crier Roger Bourgein and Cllr Maddy Chapman, Mayor of Exmouth, joined Bob Dennison, Managing Director of Stagecoach South West, to cut a gold ribbon and official unveil the new Gold service.

Bob Dennison said: “Welcome on board the new Gold Service 57! This investment in luxury buses will give Exeter, Exmouth, Topsham, Lympstone, Darts Farm and Brixington, a service that people can be rightly proud of. We’re confident that the premium ride, along with the free Wi-Fi and charging points will encourage even more people to use the 57 service be they shoppers, commuters, students or people travelling to enjoy all that Exeter, Exmouth and the Exe Estuary area has to offer.”

Cllr Maddy Chapman, Mayor of Exmouth, said: “The service is always very good and the new Gold buses are fantastic. The seats are very comfy and it’s great that they will all have free Wi-Fi, though I prefer to enjoy the wonderful view out of the windows!”

Local Devon County Councillor Bernard Hughes is a regular user of the 57 service.

He said: “The Gold Service will really be appreciated by the thousands of passengers who use the 57 service and I’m sure it will attract many more. We have to try and reduce the number of cars on our roads and switch to public transport. Introducing this kind of quality bus, with the added attraction of free Wi-Fi is a great way to do just that, on what is already a frequent and reliable service.”

Guests at the launch at Darts Farm, which is on the route, enjoyed tours of a Gold bus, met a ‘living’ gold statue and enjoyed refreshments including ‘gold-sprinkled’ mince pies.

Further Gold events will be taking place at the Strand, Exmouth, 10-3.30pm on Monday (23 Nov), with Stagecoach staff there to talk about the Gold service and hand out some gold-coloured giveaways

Stagecoach Gold characterised by its team of smartly uniformed drivers, all of whom are regulars on the route. The Gold ‘Customer Promise’ defines the service standards customers can expect from the company, vehicles and drivers.

Details of the Customer Promise, along with the Stagecoach Gold timetable and route map, will shortly be available at www.stagecoachbus.com