Most bus routes that serve the city stop on Royal Parade, making it the city’s busiest bus interchange and a key strategic transport location. There are over 100 buses every hour and over 9 million passenger journeys from or to Royal Parade every year – either arriving to work in the city centre, to shop, stay or visit, or to head onto to destinations across the city e.g. the hospital, Plymstock or the Dockyard.
It is essential that bus services are improved to make it easier for everyone to get to work, school, shops and businesses, friends or family. We know that the bus is particularly important for the nearly 25% of households in Plymouth who do not have a car. With the city’s population due to grow in the coming years, improving sustainable travel choices is vital to keeping the city moving.
The scheme is being finalised and the aim is to award the construction contract in November to start on site in January 2025.
Royal Parade works timings
The current programme for Royal Parade:
- September 2024 - Stakeholder engagement and public information events
- November 2024 - Contract Award
- January to July 2025 - Construction
The improvements that we want to make on Royal Parade are not just to make the town centre a more attractive place to be, but they also aim to improve bus infrastructure and services and future proof Royal Parade. With major regeneration happening across the wider city centre e.g. Armada Way, Old Town Street/New George Street, Millbay and the West End, it is expected there will be new businesses and more residential properties in the years ahead. This means we need the right infrastructure in place to ensure an increased number of people can move around the city.
Whilst the costs of the scheme are still being finalised, we expect it to be around £5m. It is funded by Plymouth City Council, the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund and Historic England’s Heritage Action Zone initiative.
While we held a public consultation in 2021 about the Royal Parade scheme and a sister scheme on Mayflower Street, before we progress to awarding the contract for the construction works, we want to give you an update on the programme and give you the opportunity to ask questions.
Bus company comments
“I am proud to emphasise the pivotal role Royal Parade plays in our city’s bus network. With around 7.5 million passengers boarding and alighting annually, its significance in our operations cannot be overstated. The forthcoming improvements are set to greatly benefit all passengers, particularly those with mobility challenges and wheelchair users. The redesigned layout will enhance pedestrian access and significantly improve road safety through the introduction of drive-on, drive-off bus bays. These advancements will serve the people of Plymouth for generations to come."
Richard Stevens Managing Director of Plymouth Citybus Ltd
"We welcome this investment in Royal Parade to provide a modern, inclusive and safe environment in what is the main bus interchange and focal point in the City Centre. This will literally benefit hundreds of thousands of bus passengers every year, together with all users of the City Centre. We know the short-term inconvenience will be worthwhile in the long term."
Peter Knight, Managing Director of Stagecoach