‘The new bus shelters are in’
Plymouth’s Royal Parade Bus Improvement Scheme, completed and opened March 2. 2026(Image: William Telford)
Plymouth’s ambitious £7.5m Royal Parade bus improvement scheme has been completed and buses are using it from today.
The project was supposed to open on Monday last week but torrential downpours during February hampered the work.
But now the project, initially planned to be complete by July last year, is finished, although there is still some work to be done on the crossing.
In a post on social media the council said: “The new bus shelters are in, the service signs are up and markings are on the road – Royal Parade is now open to buses.”
It said the “bigger, better” bus shelters were ready to use from 5am today and passengers and bus drivers are now getting used to the new look improvement scheme.
It has a “saw tooth” design along the kerb, which should reduce stacking of services in the bus lane.
Plymouth’s Royal Parade Bus Improvement Scheme has a ‘saw tooth’ design for buses to pull in, keeping lanes open(Image: William Telford)
A council spokesperson said: “Thank you for bearing with us – the extra week and the much needed drier weather has helped with the final touches.
“There is still a little bit of overnight work to finish the surface of the crossing, but the buses are back.”
The council reminded bus users that there have been changes to where people get on and off services.
“These have been made as a result of discussions with bus operators and aim to improve punctuality,” the council spokesperson said.
For information, visit www.plymouth.gov.uk/royal-parade-travel-information
Work started in the Royal Parade project in July last year but this was six months after it was originally planned.
Plymouth’s Royal Parade Bus Improvement Scheme(Image: William Telford)
It was initially supposed to begin in January and be completed by July last year . Bus shelters in Royal Parade were ripped out in January 2025 but their replacements were delayed by contact talks and businesses in the city centre were told the project had become bogged down in negotiations.
In March 2025, repurposed shipping containers were installed in Royal Parade to provide shelter for people waiting for buses.
In July the council said contractor Morgan Sindall would take nine months, instead of six, to complete the work, but even with the latest delay it is likely to have the work finished well within that nine-month time frame.
However, the cost of the project skyrocketed to £7,494,692 from an original sum of £5million.
Originally South West Highways was due to carry out the work but this was considered to be a “risk” and the contract went to Morgan Sindall, also carrying out the £30m Armada Way upgrade, instead.
South West Highways was also the contractor involved in the Central Park ponds project , which had been beset by delays and seen costs spiral, and was replaced last year by WBM Groundworks.
The cash for the Royal Parade scheme came from the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund and Bus Grant, Historic England’s Heritage Action Zone funding and the Council’s Better Places funding.
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