BUS SERVICES are to be severely impacted by gas works due to start in Dawlish next week.

Bus company Stagecoach has announced revisions to services as Wales and West Utilities restart work replacing gas pipes.

Exeter Road will be closed completely from Monday April 13 to April 19.

Due to the closure, Stagecoach services 2 and 11 will be unable to serve stops between Dawlish and Exminster.

This means Stagecoach service 2 will operate on a diversion route between Exeter and Dawlish town centre via the A380 and Teignmouth.

But it will not serve passengers along the route from Exminster to Dawlish Warren.

Devon County Council and Wales and West Utilities are paying for a shuttle bus to run in between the top of Elm Grove Road where it will turning at Secmaton Lane, and Exeter via Starcross, Kenton and Exminster.

This service will run to an hourly timetable.

Devon County Council has arranged for some parking restrictions to be lifted in the Elm Grove Drive area which should enable buses to get through as they are larger than the usual Country Bus vehicles.

But if the Stagecoach vehicle encounter issues, the service will be withdrawn from this area and only run as far as Sainsbury’s.

The Dawlish 186 service is also being revised.

Bus passengers have express frustration at the changes.

One said: ‘I feel that there has been a total disregard for people who live and work in Dawlish that have to use public transport.

‘I know a lot of people in the same situation as me who feel left stranded and who will find it a struggle to get to and from work.’