Source: City of Plymouth
The fencing is up, the bus lane closed and temporary bus stops are in place around the city centre – work to change the layout of Royal Parade starts today.
The scheme aims to reduce congestion and improve the reliability of bus services to and from the city centre by increasing the number of bus stops on the shop side and constructing a saw tooth design to make it easier and more efficient for buses to pick up and drop passengers.
It will also see:
- clearer information about where and what bus to get in the new shelters and upgraded Real Time Passenger Information displays
- bigger shelters to make it easier for people with pushchairs or wheelchairs to use them. They will have living roofs to support biodiversity
- an upgraded toucan crossing at Armada Way for pedestrians and cyclists
- average speed camera system to replace existing static cameras, supporting a safe environment for pedestrians
- upgraded granite paving down the length of the shop side of Royal Parade.
The scheme, which will be carried out by Morgan Sindall, is expected to take around nine months. But while the bus lane is closed and stops have been moved, businesses along Royal Parade are very much open.
Councillor John Stephens, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport said: “Nearly 25 per cent of households in Plymouth do not have a car and with the city’s population expected to grow, improving sustainable travel choices is vital to keeping the city moving.
“With 100 services an hour using Royal Parade, this is a key part of the bus network. Making improvements at this key point will cut queuing and double stacking of buses and help to make services across the city more reliable as a result.
“I was really pleased to hear that the initial bus stop move had gone extremely smoothly and that passengers were getting the message about where to get on and off in the city centre.
“I would also like to remind shoppers that the shops on Royal Parade are very much still open for business – we will be keeping access to businesses open throughout the scheme. So, while the bus lane is shut, businesses are very much open!”
All bus stops on the shop side of Royal Parade between Courtenay Street and St Andrew’s Cross Roundabout have now been moved to temporary stops and information about where they are is here Royal Parade travel information | PLYMOUTH.GOV.UK
Bus stops on Royal Parade have information on the fencing about the temporary bus stops.
There is also information in the Plymouth Citybus shop on Royal Parade, Central Library and in bus shelters at key destinations around the city.
The Plymotion Team and project team will also be on the ground every weekday until Friday 18 July to hand out information leaflets and make sure everyone knows where to get their bus from.
City Centre Company Chief Executive Steve Hughes said: “We’re pleased to see this important scheme start and we know that once its finished, it will create a more pleasant experience for passengers coming in and out of the city centre.
“Businesses along Royal Parade are very much open during the work and we know the contractors and the project team are liaising with them. We in the City Centre Company are also here to support our businesses – free pop-up space in the city centre is available for our businesses for instance. It is fantastic to see this scale of investment in the city centre.”