We are working in partnership with Stagecoach and other bus companies to deliver an improved local bus network. Our partnership is making a number of service improvements and changes to help maintain high quality public transport options around the Bay. The changes will be made as part of the Torbay Bus Service Improvement Plan.

The revised services are part of a package of changes coming in 2025/26. These include service improvements, fare offers, improved ticketing options, new and additional bus shelters, improved bus stop information and the introduction of new electric buses.

Service changes will enhance the frequency and coverage of public transport, with others required to adapt to user demand. This is the first round of changes with further service improvements to follow in September.

A number of changes will take place from 25 May, with others starting from 31 May. The affected services are 12, 13,13C,13D, 17, 22, 23, 120, 122, and FOX. A new Service 11 will also be introduced that will follow the current Service 22 route.

A summary of changes to each service is included below:

Service 11: Introduction of a new Torquay to Dawlish Warren service, commencing 25 May 2025

From 25 May 2025, a new Service 11 will be introduced. This service will operate up to every 60 minutes between Torquay and Dawlish Warren via St Marychurch, Teignmouth and Dawlish.

Service 11 will follow the current Service 22 route from Torquay to Dawlish Warren. The section of the route between Teignmouth and Dawlish Warren will however be operated with financial support from Devon County Council.

Where possible, departure times and hours of operation will reflect those currently operated on Service 22.  

 

Service 22: Frequency increase and new night services (St Marychurch – South Devon College via Paignton)

There will be a number of changes and improvements to Service 22 as part of the simplification of the Torbay local bus network.

The route of Service 22 will be amended to operate between St Marychurch and South Devon College only. The section of route between Dawlish Warren and St Marychurch will be covered by new Service 11 and other services.

The curtailed route will enable a more reliable and punctual service to operate, with a clockface pattern of departures.

The frequency of buses will be increased Monday to Friday and Saturday daytime. The service will run every 15 minutes rather than the current 20 minutes. This will provide an additional journey opportunity every hour.

Sunday and Public Holiday frequency will become every 30 minutes along the entire route. This represents a doubling of frequency between South Devon College and Torquay.

The evening timetable is improved, with an hourly frequency across the entire route. Later last buses will also be in operation, providing additional journey opportunities. 

We have worked in partnership with Stagecoach to introduce a new Saturday night Service 22 from Saturday 31 May 2025.

As part of a trial period, the overnight journeys will operate every Saturday night (early hours of Sunday morning) until Saturday 20 December 2025. Services will also operate on Friday 19 December 2025 (early hours of Saturday 20 December 2025) and Wednesday 31 December 2025 (early hours of Thursday 1 January 2026).

Service 22 journeys will depart St Marychurch at 24:05, 01:35 and 03:05 for South Devon College, with journeys departing South Devon College at 00:46, 02:16 and 03:46 for St Marychurch.

The Service 22 route will be amended through Torquay town centre, serving Torbay Road, Cary Parade, and Torwood Street. The amended route will remove Belgrave Road, Lucius Street, Union Street and Fleet Street. This change reduces journey times on the most used sections, whilst maintaining the town centre connection. Service 11 will still provide the connection from St Marychurch and Babbacombe Road direct to Belgrave Road, Lucius Street, Union Street and Fleet Street for those that need it.  Additional bus connections are also available at Cary Parade. We will be monitoring the impact of this change and welcome feedback.

 

Service 12: Frequency increase, changes to route stops, and new night services (Newton Abbot – Brixham via Torquay and Paignton)

Monday to Friday off-peak frequency will be increased from every 12 minutes to every 10 minutes, to coincide with the peak summer season.

Due to low customer demand and operational issues, Service 12 will no longer serve the Brixham Park and Ride site.

Due to safety concerns, Service 12 will not serve the bus stop at Windy Corner on journeys towards Newton Abbot.

There are number of minor timetable changes at the start and end of the operating day, with a small number of journeys withdrawn or curtailed.

Through working in partnership with Devon and Cornwall Police, along with a number of other stakeholders, the partnership are pleased to announce the re-introduction of a new Saturday night bus service on Service 12 from Saturday 31 May 2025.

As part of a trial period, the overnight journeys will operate every Saturday night (early hours of Sunday morning) until Saturday 20 December 2025. Additional journeys will operate on Friday 19 December 2025 (early hours of Saturday 20 December 2025) and Wednesday 31 December 2025 (early hours of Thursday 1 January 2026).

Service 12 journeys will depart Torquay (Pavilion) at 00:30, 01:30, 02:30 and 03:30 for Brixham, with journeys departing Brixham at 00:59, 01:59, 02:59 and 03:59 for Torquay.

The Saturday night journeys will not serve the section of route between Newton Abbot and Torquay.

 

Service 13/13C/13D: Funded service to maintain provision (Torbay Hospital – Brixham)

Service 13’s Saturday timetable will continue to operate with the help of funding we have agreed to provide.

 

Service 17: Minor reduction of service (Brixham Local Service)

07:55 Monday to Friday and Saturday journey from Lindthorpe Way to Town Square to be withdrawn due to low demand.

18:30 Monday to Friday and Saturday journey from Town Square to King Street to be withdrawn due to low demand.

 

Service 23: Frequency increase and change of route (Paignton – South Devon College)

The frequency of Service 23 will increase to every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday, and every 30 minutes Sunday and Public Holiday daytime.

The increase in frequency represents an additional journey opportunity every hour and every day of the week.

There will be a change to the route of Service 23 to serve the new Inglewood development. The service will operate via the current route on Dartmouth Road to Goodrington Road and then, from Goodrington Road to Davies Avenue, Gibson Road, Hookhills Road, Hunters Tor Drive and Brixham Road to the new Inglewood development, before resuming current route at White Rock Way.

This route change means that two pairs of bus stops on Goodrington Road and Cherry Brook Drive will no longer be served by Service 23, however, alternative stops are available nearby. 

This change also means that the stops on Davies Avenue and Gibson Road will be on the opposite side of the road. The stop currently used for travel towards the town centre will now be for travel towards South Devon College. The stop currently used for travel towards South Devon College will now be for the Town Centre.

 

Service 120: New service timetable and improved journey opportunities (Paignton – Kingswear)

Intermediate running times are revised across all days of operation to improve reliability and punctuality.

16:10 Monday to Friday and Saturday journey from Kingswear to Paignton will be advanced to 16:05 to allow additional recovery time in Paignton Bus Station.

A new Sunday and Public Holiday timetable will be introduced, providing eight journeys in each direction and covering the main part of the day.

The new Sunday and Public Holiday timetable is expected to provide a number of new journey opportunities, including access to and from Dartmouth via the ferry at Kingswear. This will also provide links for exploring the South West Coast Path and South Devon National Landscape.

 

Service 122: Return of the seasonal service (Hoburne Devon Bay Holiday Park – Paignton)

Service 122 will return for the 2025 season, operating a daily timetable between Sunday 25 May 2025 and Saturday 30 August 2025.

Service 122 will operate every 30 minutes between approximately 09:30 and 18:30, with a small break in the timetable in the middle of the day.

Customers will be able to travel from Hoburne Devon Bay Holiday Park into Paignton Bus Station, where connections to other services across Torbay will be available.

 

Service FOX: Service rebrand and frequency changes

Service FOX will be renamed to Service 24.

The frequency of buses Monday to Friday and Saturday daytime will be reduced slightly from every 15 minutes to every 20 minutes. These changes will better match customer demand and will provide consistent connections with Service 23 to enable improved journey opportunities.

The frequency of buses during the evening will continue to be every 60 minutes. During the day on Sunday and Public Holidays this will be every 30 minutes.

 

Cllr Adam Billings, Cabinet Member for Pride in Place and Parking for Torbay Council, said; “We work in close partnership with local bus operators to provide an effective and reliable bus service around the Bay.

"The changes to local bus services will enhance people’s journey opportunities, provide additional support for the weekend and nighttime economy, and are essential to improve efficiency. The changes will also protect valued services that require additional support. 

“Alongside service improvements for many, we understand that some of the changes may cause inconvenience to some bus passengers. We appreciate people’s patience and understanding as the new timetable becomes established.

“We look forward to bringing forward further service improvements and investments throughout the year. These will strengthen public transport in Torbay and show our commitment to delivering choice for our residents. I’d encourage everyone to take advantage of our superb buses and public transport options for their daily travel needs.”

Full details of the new timetables are available on the Stagecoach website. Schools, parents, businesses, community representatives and residents are encouraged to make themselves aware of the new timetables and share information through their own networks.