Updated 8 October 2024
Our first Town Deal funded improvement scheme is weeks away from completion.
To complete the remaining significant works which will be happening in four areas at once, a road closure period of six and half weeks is needed.
From Tuesday 15 October until Friday 29 November, no traffic will be able to pass through the Strand (Fleet Walk car park exit junction to the Clock Tower).
We understand there is never an ideal time to close the road, but the project has reached a crucial point, and the closure is necessary to get the project finished, the contractor demobilised and the area fully open again.
Updated 8 August 2024
Delivering the project
This is the biggest transformation project that Torquay has seen in decades. We have appointed Montel Civil Engineering to deliver it.
Work started in November 2023. We expect work to be completed in late 2024.
The project will be delivered in separate phases. The project team is constantly reviewing the phasing of work and where possible, making adaptations to suit the changing environment.
Phase 1 – November to January 2024
Work began in early November and was completed by the end of January.
The first phase of work saw:
- Traffic reduced to a single lane in both directions along the Strand
- Removal and re-construction of the central islands. This included the removal of all traffic lights and pedestrian crossings
- Relocation of bus stops and introducing temporary stops
- The taxi rank in Cary Parade relocated to Vaughan Road (opposite the Pavilion)
- Relocation of loading bays from the east side of Victoria Parade to the opposite side of the road
- The site compound set up on the footway outside of the Pavilion
Phase 2 – February to October 2024
Work began on this phase of the project in early February 2024.
During this phase, traffic management measures will be in place.
The Strand is reduced to a single lane of traffic. Traffic management measures will be in operations at the junctions of:
- Torwood Street
- Victoria Parade
- Strand junctions
Traffic delays can be expected. If possible, we advise using an alternative route. Please note the suggested alternative route will not be signed until the road closure part of the project (date not yet confirmed).
Taxi ranks
Provision for taxis is available at:
- Vaughan Road (opposite the Pavilion)
- Victoria Parade
- Torwood Street
- Lower end of Fleet Street
Pedestrians
- During this phase of the project, the south (harbour) side of The Strand is closed to pedestrians.
- The north (Hoopers) side remains open.
- Safe crossing points are at either end of The Strand (Fleet Street and Torwood Street).
- Other temporary pedestrian routes might be put in place to suit site working conditions.
Access to Harbour/Victoria Parade
-
Vehicles can continue to access the harbour, Victoria Parade and car parks.
Fleet Walk car park
- Remains open and accessible as usual
Fleet Street
- Remains open to two-way (permitted only) traffic.
Loading bays
- Loading bays are available on Victoria Parade and The Strand north (outside Taco Bell)
Future phases of work
We are working on making changes to the initial programme of works. This is in response to constantly reviewing the overall programme of work with the contractor and the feedback we have received from businesses and key stakeholders.
A full road closure will be required at some point. The exact dates and duration will be confirmed in due course.
Once the road is closed, a fully signed diversion route will be in place. Businesses and car parks will be open as usual.
Project summary
Creating a space that is:
- Well-connected
- The vibrant place to go
- High quality
- Modern
We will do this by:
Minimising traffic on The Strand
- Right bus turn at the bottom of Fleet Walk
- Replacing roundabout junction incorporating the Clock Tower into the public realm
- Relocating taxi rank and loading bays to the northern side
Increasing and enhancing pedestrian areas
- Widening of pedestrian routes to make room for more dining, seating and planted areas
- New high quality surface material, feature lighting and street furniture
Improved connectivity
- Public transport hub
- Wayfinding and interactive boards
Cultural activation
- Space for events such as food festivals and music events
- Agatha Christie arts commission
Funding
This project is being funded by Town Deal funding.
Organisations working on project
- Torbay Council
- Torbay Culture
- Montel Civil Engineering
Keeping up to date with this project
The best way to stay up to date with this project is by signing up for the Torquay Projects newsletter.
We understand that you might have lots of questions. You can find more information below.
When Montel will arrive on site and how long the works will take
The site compound will start to be set up during the first week of November 2023. We expect that the scheme will be completed by late 2024.
How it will affect traffic
Some phases of the works will need temporary traffic management to manage traffic flow in the area. We will give advance warnings of any changes in a range of ways along with signage in the area.
Days Montel will be working
Generally, Monday to Friday between 7.30am and 6pm. Work may sometimes go beyond these times to complete specific activities. No works will be undertaken on Bank Holidays and Sundays. Montel is not permitted to work in hours of darkness. There will no unnecessary light or noise after dark.
CCTV recording on site
Montel will have CCTV cameras set up to film the site. They will not be recording local businesses or the public. If an alarm is activated outside of site working hours:
- Montel will be notified by the company monitoring the CCTV
- they will arrange for a key holder to attend the site to investigate
- the police will be called if required
Our security team will also be monitoring the site.
Mud, noise, and dust
Regular cleaning of the highways leading into the works area will be undertaken. This is to ensure highways are clear of debris for the duration of the works.
The machinery used has the latest technology in noise suppression. Noise levels will be monitored throughout the day. This is to make sure they are within acceptable levels. Any high noise levels will only take place between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Due to the nature of the works, dust creation may occur. Dust barriers and water suppression will reduce the impact of any dust.
Why a road closure is needed
This will be when most of the changes to the road layout will be made.
There is never a good time to close a road. The works that are required cannot be carried out just with traffic management measures in place.
We will give advance notice of the road closure part of the project.
How are we helping businesses affected by the work
Since the start of 2024 we have been working with and supporting harbourside businesses and traders. Through this work we have been able to make some short-term changes to help them through the busy holiday periods and provide more choice to customers. At their request we have:
- Reinstated two-way traffic over Easter, May half term and the six-week summer holiday.
- Introduced additional 24-hour taxi rank provision.
- Extended the Vaughan Road temporary taxi rank to create more space for waiting vehicles.
- Reopened a lane of traffic to help motorists get better access to the Marina car park.
- Introduced signage on arterial routes, advising of works and highlighting car parks.
How to stay up to date with the project
Torbay Council via:
- sign up for updates
- news releases
Montel via:
- face-to-face meetings
- emails
- newsletters
- social media
Who to contact if you have a problem
Montel has a dedicated Community Relations team to assist local residents and businesses. They will deal with any queries, questions, or concerns about the work.
Why we are making these changes
The changes are part of the Town Deal Board’s Town Investment Plan for the whole of the town centre.
The community has been instrumental in designing the new look space. Creative engagement which started in 2018. The community said they wanted to see:
- less traffic
- better public transport connections
- more space for pedestrians and events
- a high-quality, vibrant space
What about emergency access
Emergency vehicles will be able to access the area at all times.
Trees and planting
The overall planting strategy is to deliver high-quality low maintenance landscaping; with year-round permanent shrubs, lasting planting, and new trees to create an attractive and green space.
This scheme will include biodiverse coastal specific planting mixes which will improve habitat and long-term biodiversity provision, absorbing particulates from vehicle fumes. The planting strategy also forms an integral part of the drainage strategy. The Strand will benefit from high quality landscaping and will benefit from long-term planting as Royal Terrace gardens has.
The two large existing trees on Vaughan Parade are being retained. Similarly, the trees fronting the bus hubs on Cary Parade will also be retained.
There is an environmental focus on the new scheme to ensure the space includes new trees. The current proposals including planting new plane tree species.
Loading and unloading on Fleet Street and the Strand
Only buses or emergency service vehicles are permitted in Fleet Street between 10am and 6pm.
Between 6pm and 10am, only buses, emergency service vehicles, and goods vehicles are permitted in Fleet Street. This means that loading and unloading on Fleet Street by goods vehicles should only happen between these hours. We kindly ask that businesses time their deliveries accordingly to avoid any enforcement action being taken.
Standard passenger vehicles are not permitted to enter the Fleet Street pedestrian zone at any time, other than for access purposes prescribed in traffic regulation orders regarding properties on Braddons Hill Road West, The Terrace, and Swan Street. The police may issue a fixed penalty notice to any driver seen to be in breach of the prohibition of driving restrictions.
A temporary change has been made to the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to permit access to licensed vehicles. Licensed vehicles are permitted to enter Fleet Street from the GPO roundabout, exiting only onto The Strand. Licensed vehicles must not enter Fleet Street from The Strand, nor can they turn left onto Fleet Street from Braddons Hill Road West. This temporary TRO will remain in place for the duration of the works.
Failure to comply with these restrictions will result in an PCN being issued by the Council, or a fixed penalty notice issued by the police.
Businesses around the Strand (excluding Fleet Street businesses) are encouraged to contact Montel Civil Engineering regarding any specific delivery access requirements. Where possible, particularly for large vehicles, Montel Civil Engineering will advise you on the best course of action.
Amending the design
We have had to make some changes to the design on the south (harbour) side after essential utilities were identified in an area that was originally marked up for the underground tree pits.
The revised design will now see the line of trees moved closer to the road kerb line to avoid the utilities. This has meant that cycling provision will be incorporated into the main carriageway.
This was not an easy decision to come to, but one that had to be made in the best interests of the project. The decision to omit the proposed cycleway from the scheme purely relates to site constraints that could not easily be resolved.
Several options were considered including relocating a dedicated cycleway within the public realm or providing shared access for pedestrians and cyclists in the public realm space. These were not taken forward based on surface water drainage problems and conflict between pedestrians and cyclists being a safety concern.
In the final scheme, cyclists will have safe access points at either end of The Strand to the carriageway which will be a 20mph zone. The overall site has been designed to slow traffic flow with widened kerb lines, and a single lane in each direction.
To make the area safer for all road users, the newly created bus hub on Cary Parade means that a significant number of large vehicles have been moved from The Strand. This improves visibility and significantly reduces risk to cyclists and pedestrians.
We still want people to cycle to the area. There will be facilities for people to park their bikes so they can dwell and spend time in the newly created public realm space. This will feature new trees, planting, seating, lighting, a tribute to Agatha Christie and the tramlines which were uncovered during the early part of the work.
How to promote your business while the work is taking place.
We recommend looking at the High Streets Task Force website. There are free resources to support you and your business, including:
- case studies
- evidence
- webinars
- best practice information