Are Paper Bus Timetables still in your area?

[Andyh82]

It’s nice to see a printed timetable by First in Weymouth. Do they still have a hut on Weymouth seafront with a member of staff on duty?

 

[Parebunks]

I was very pleased whilst visiting Preston today to find a comprehensive selection of paper publicity in the Harris gallery/cultural centre, including:
- Two Stagecoach booklets for North and South Lancashire - both to a high standard and including maps, in the North Stagecoach really seems to be doing well on this.
- A Preston Bus booklet covering all their routes with individual maps for each route but no network map I could see.
- Three county council maps for Lancaster, Fylde Coast and Hyndburn.
- Council produced leaflets for pretty much every other route in a fairly wide area - I assume these are mostly tenders?
Does anyone know if the council produce these maps for any other areas of the country? They were numbered 1, 2 and 7 which suggests so but couldn't find any evidence online, or even easily accessible pdf versions.
Confusingly, with both operators and the council producing these impressive publications, they were nowhere to be seen at Preston Bus Station, which does seems an odd choice.

 

[barringtoncem]

Further to my orginal post it looks like that whippet no longer do printed timetables apart from a flyer for the Hunstanton service and 67 service i mentioned has been withdrawn to lack of patronage

 

[Andyh82]

Does anyone know if the council produce these maps for any other areas of the country? They were numbered 1, 2 and 7 which suggests so but couldn't find any evidence online, or even easily accessible pdf versions.

They are new, reinstating maps that they used to do years ago. I don’t think a full set has been created as yet.

Lancashire is interesting where due to a combination of operators doing timetables and the council doing them for their tendered routes, there are printed timetables available for the vast majority of routes in the county.

 

[Parebunks]

They are new, reinstating maps that they used to do years ago. I don’t think a full set has been created as yet.

Lancashire is interesting where due to a combination of operators doing timetables and the council doing them for their tendered routes, there are printed timetables available for the vast majority of routes in the county.

Very encouraging to hear - there's a similar project in Oxfordshire but yet to go to print AFAIK.

Hadn't previously thought of Stagecoach as good with printed publicity but between these, the excellent Peak and Lake District books, and West's booklets, they're now perhaps among the best of the big groups? Although Midlands and Scotland still leave much to be desired.

 

[route101]

They are excellent. Between them and Dales Bus, we are very well provided for despite North Yorkshire Councils complete lack of interest in timetables.

There was Dales Bus guides at Carlisle Railway Station.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Aug 2026 ==

First here have printed a summer timetable!

It's 88 glossy pages. Which is great to see, except... the X52 doesn't go to Axminster. How this got through their quality control...

Must be the last proper first bus timetable booklet.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Aug 2026 ==

I was very pleased whilst visiting Preston today to find a comprehensive selection of paper publicity in the Harris gallery/cultural centre, including:
- Two Stagecoach booklets for North and South Lancashire - both to a high standard and including maps, in the North Stagecoach really seems to be doing well on this.
- A Preston Bus booklet covering all their routes with individual maps for each route but no network map I could see.
- Three county council maps for Lancaster, Fylde Coast and Hyndburn.
- Council produced leaflets for pretty much every other route in a fairly wide area - I assume these are mostly tenders?
Does anyone know if the council produce these maps for any other areas of the country? They were numbered 1, 2 and 7 which suggests so but couldn't find any evidence online, or even easily accessible pdf versions.
Confusingly, with both operators and the council producing these impressive publications, they were nowhere to be seen at Preston Bus Station, which does seems an odd choice.

I found a Lancashire Bus Map for Accrington earlier this year.

I haven't seen any timetables at Preston Bus Station. Perhaps they are in the office but I have seen it it open. It would make sense to have a rack of timetables, Lancaster does this.

Cardiff Bus Interchange had Cardiff Bus Map and a North East Cardiff Bus guide on two racks.

 

[jcrwey]

It’s nice to see a printed timetable by First in Weymouth. Do they still have a hut on Weymouth seafront with a member of staff on duty?

Yes the hut is still on Weymouth seafront with Dave at the helm, lots of positive comments about all his help online. First have produced 2 excellent guides this year:

- Regular timetable book for all services (there are a few proofing mistakes and also missed opportunities to promote, I.e. showing on Route 4 timetable that later journeys to Preston run on Route 2). Still excellent though.
- An Explore Open Top bus guide. Features a brilliant set of places to visit and timetables for all the Open Top services.

Good to see these back this year!

 

[Sealink]

Must be the last proper first bus timetable booklet.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Aug 2026 ==

It is the first down here for two years after their pursued their digital only strategy, not realising how poor their app and website is.

 

[Simonm1978]

There was Dales Bus guides at Carlisle Railway Station.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Aug 2026 ==


Must be the last proper first bus timetable booklet.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Aug 2026 ==


I found a Lancashire Bus Map for Accrington earlier this year.

I haven't seen any timetables at Preston Bus Station. Perhaps they are in the office but I have seen it it open. It would make sense to have a rack of timetables, Lancaster does this.

Cardiff Bus Interchange had Cardiff Bus Map and a North East Cardiff Bus guide on two racks.

I think the Preston Bus desk at Preston Bus Station now only opens for a couple of hours a day. And I don’t think the LCC window next to it opens at all. I remember seeing something about it being reopened as part of the BSIP funding (page 2 of https://council.lancashire.gov.uk/documents/s232444/Report.pdf) but it doesn’t seem to have happened yet.

But yes it would be helpful if they had a timetable rack for passengers.

I haven’t seen the Preston & South Ribble map in print yet, but one has been produced as it’s available to download on the Preston Bus website:

https://www.prestonbus.co.uk/media/6381/map-4-preston-south-ribble-network-route-may-2026.pdf

 

[duncombec]

In Kent, Nu-Venture and GoBus (formerly Go-Coach) still produce printed timetables for non-school services, as do Kent Country/Fastrack (although the latter are notoriously difficult to get hold of).

 

[route101]

Very encouraging to hear - there's a similar project in Oxfordshire but yet to go to print AFAIK.

Hadn't previously thought of Stagecoach as good with printed publicity but between these, the excellent Peak and Lake District books, and West's booklets, they're now perhaps among the best of the big groups? Although Midlands and Scotland still leave much to be desired.

I don't think Stagecoach print any timetables in Scotland now.

 

[Sealink]

First in Dorset have decided not to print a winter timetable for the X51/X53.

If you print direct from their website, it's 14 pages (assuming you don't print the basically useless first page)

WATAG are printing their own version.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

WATAG are printing their own version.

Good for them.

What's WATAG?

 

[richard13]

Good for them.

What's WATAG?

On this link
West Dorset Area Transport Action Group

 

[Trainman40083]

Trentbarton bus station in Belper.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

On this link
West Dorset Area Transport Action Group

Thanks

 

[Sealink]

Good for them.

What's WATAG?

Sorry I should have explained - although you have had some replies since!

If anyone lives locally or intends to use the service, there is a survey that can be completed online.

X51 bus survey

WATAG campaigns for better public transport in West Dorset​

Our main priority is to seek an hourly service on the X51 bus running between Bridport and Dorchester – seven days a week, all year round and running later into the evening

Please help us to improve the bus service by completing the survey below. We will use your input to provide evidence for the level of public support

(If you prefer to complete the survey by hand, paper copies are available at the Bridport Tourist Information Centre)

 

[robert west]

Sorry I should have explained - although you have had some replies since!

If anyone lives locally or intends to use the service, there is a survey that can be completed online.

stephensons of essex have 2 timetable booklets i

1 is for the 21/38/38a and 90 and the other for Stanstead airport area

 

[manlok927]

Stagecoach also produce guides for Carlisle & Solway and for West Cumbria.

Hi, do you know where the West Cumbria guides can be found?
Thanks

 

[stuartn]

Hi, do you know where the West Cumbria guides can be found?

You should be able to get them at Workington Bus Station, in the dispensers at the end of each stand (or ask at the Inspectors Office). Workington Library (opposite the Bus Station) should also have them. Carlisle Bus Station is also another good source. There is also a Barrow Area Bus Guide available dated 23 March 2026 available which I got one time at Barrow Railway Station. (includes the 6/X6 to Windermere/Kendal and the 7/X7 to Whitehaven).

 

[DS25]

Lakeside Coaches in Shropshire have got printed timetable leaflets of their flagship 449, 501 and 508 routes in the buses, but none for the 21 and 205 sadly.