Special late night buses will be running on Saturday nights until the end of the year to help Plymouth’s pub and club goers get home safely.
From Saturday 8 October the night buses will run three routes from Derry’s Cross at midnight and then 2am and 4am. Each route will be run three times a night.
- Route 1 is Devonport – St Budeaux – Ernesettle – Whitleigh – Southway – Crownhill – Peverell – Mutley
- Route 2 is St Judes – Alexandra Road – Lipson – Embankment – Woodford – Chaddlewood – Ridgeway – Merafield – Haye Road – Elburton – Plymstock – Cattedown
- Route 3 is Mutley – Lower Compton – Higher Compton – Deer Park – Lower Eggbuckland – Leigham – Estover – Derriford – Woolwell – Crownhill – Manadon – Ham – North Prospect
The buses will help people to plan their journey home even before they go out as the tickets can be pre-booked online to guarantee seats. A flat fare of £7 will be charged for all trips and can be booked in advance here
Tickets can also be purchased on the night through the website, but only if there are spaces available.
Security staff – with body cameras – will be on the buses for the safety of all passengers and to make sure there’s no unruly behaviour as well as recording who is getting on the bus.
The service has been made possible thanks to funding from the Home Office’s Safer Streets 4 initiative, which focuses on interventions aimed at tackling neighbourhood crime, anti-social behaviour and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), enhancing the safety of public spaces for all.
The University of Plymouth, Plymouth City Council and Devon and Cornwall Police secured just over £670,000 for projects to help Plymouth’s residents feel safer.
Councillor Rebecca Smith, Chair of the Plymouth Commission on Violence against Women and Girls, said: “This is amazing news. We’ve heard time and again that people are struggling to get home after a night out because they can’t get a taxi or a bus and I’m sure many residents from across the city will be thrilled and relieved to hear these buses are running each weekend.”
Cat Macdonald, Chair and Coordinator of Plymouth’s Best Bar None, which is an accreditation scheme for licensed premises, said: “We want people to enjoy our great night life and this service will help address the question of how to get home after a night out. This is welcome news for our trade – especially at this difficult time.
“We know people who’ve walked an hour and a half to get home as they couldn’t get taxis, so this we hope will make it easier to get home.”
Chief Superintendent Matt Longman, commander of Plymouth Police and chair of Safer Plymouth, said: “We’ve been listening to what our residents have told us and know that late-night transport has been a problem for some time.
“We’re delighted to see this initiative for Plymouth, which aims to help people get home safely.
“Safer Streets funding has enabled us to do this as a trial. If this service proves successful and is well-used, it could become a regular thing which we think will keep people safer and make for a more enjoyable evening out. The more people use it, the more likely it can stay for the future.”
