Tally Ho! has announced a new direct bus services linking Kingsbridge and Salcombe to Totnes rail services, thanks to Government funding. Developed in association with GWR and Devon County Council, Tally Ho! buses will meet selected GWR trains from London as well as some Cross-Country trains.
Starting on 21st June 2021, the buses will run hourly from early morning into the evening Monday to Saturday, with a improved Sunday Services. The 164 service will be known as the Primrose Link, a nod to the Primrose railway line that once linked Kingsbridge with the national rail services.
An advance copy of the new timetable is available now on the Tally Ho! website (www.tallyhoholidays.co.uk). GWR and Tally Ho! are working to deliver through tickets as soon as possible allowing passengers to buy combined train and bus tickets.
Improving our transport links is a necessity for South Devon. I am particularly pleased to see Tally Ho! will be introducing a new bus service from Totnes to Salcombe to link up with the national train services - a key element of the Government’s new National Bus Strategy is to integrate train and bus services so it is great to see this happening locally. This will play an important role in reducing traffic and air pollution as well as offering more affordable travel across the area. Tally Ho and GWR have committed to working to improve South Devon’s transport network and I am delighted to see them deliver.
Cllr Andrea Davis, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, said: “The Primrose Link will provide new through journeys and improved rail connections and will hopefully help this part of the County to recover after the pandemic. Working with Tally Ho and GWR we have been able to introduce these improvements which fit with the Government’s recent Buses Back Better strategy and are an excellent example of what can be achieved by working in partnership.”
Luke Farley, Assistant Regional Development Manager for GWR, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be working with Tally Ho and Devon County Council to improve connections between South Devon and the rest of the country, combining the far-reaching access provided by the rail network with the local knowledge and expertise of a well-respected local bus operator.”
Don McIntosh from Tally Ho! Coaches Limited said: “This is great news. When we were first approached by Devon County Council and GWR we could immediately see the benefits to rail travellers but also the opportunities for tourism and leisure that this opens up.”
