Peter Cleasby

Peter Cleasby is Exeter Observer’s transport correspondent.

After reading French and German at New College, Oxford he entered the civil service where he worked largely in policy development and business management across several departments, ending up as a deputy director in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

On leaving the civil service, he freelanced as a policy, management and governance consultant and became a trustee of several national and local charities.

He is also a long-standing member of Exeter Green Party.

Stories by Peter Cleasby

Devon County Council National Bus Strategy Bus Services Improvement Plan cover image

Future of Devon bus services being decided behind closed doors

Devon County Council does not want the public to hear whether local service improvements are going according to plan.

Figures show Exeter Central station busier than Exeter St David’s

New figures show that 2.2 million people used Exeter Central railway station in the year to March 2022, making it the 155th busiest of 2,569 UK railway stations and (slightly) busier than Exeter St David’s.

Exeter ticket zone map

Stagecoach escapes major sanctions over service failures

Traffic commissioner decides four days of free weekend travel in Exeter Plus ticket zone is sufficient penalty for poor performance despite public inquiry hearing severe criticism of company.

Empty bus timetable

Stagecoach proposes free travel and fast-tracked information upgrades to compensate for service failures

West of England traffic commissioner holds Exeter’s principal bus operator to account at public inquiry, with final decision on performance expected this week.

Stagecoach app showing Exeter bus service delays and cancellations

Bus back better? Exeter services expected to remain unfit for purpose without needed changes

Government underfunding and bus sector challenges limit scope for improvement but county council failure to upgrade routes and policy ambitions plus high housing costs make Exeter difficulties acute, undermining net zero aspirations.

Exeter city councillors with low attendance levels during 2021-22 - stacked bar graph

Low attendance levels among some councillors mean Exeter electors get varying value for their votes

As part of our 2022 Exeter local elections coverage we have assessed the past year’s attendance figures for public council meetings as a measure of councillor commitment to their constituents.

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