Organisers are urging attendees to familiarise themselves with the updated access routes to the Event Village on Paignton seafront. This follows the last-minute emergency closure of Victoria Street after masonry fell from a building, prompting an additional road closure and emergency demolition work. 

The English Riviera Airshow takes place this weekend (Friday 29–Sunday 31 May) and is expected to draw thousands of visitors to Paignton for three days of spectacular flying displays and on‑the‑ground entertainment. 

The event itself is not affected by these emergency measures, but the changes may require visitors to adjust their travel plans to ensure they don’t miss any of the weekend’s flying displays. 

Cllr Jackie Thomas, Cabinet Member for Events, Tourism, Culture and Corporate Services at Torbay Council said; “We’re very much looking forward to welcoming you all to this year’s event. Please allow plenty of time to reach the Event Village, make sure you know your route in advance, and plan how you’re getting there.  

“If you’re travelling by car, consider car sharing where possible, and we strongly encourage using public transport or walking and cycling instead of driving. The fewer vehicles on the roads around Paignton, the more smoothly buses will be able to move through the area, helping everyone arrive safely and on time. 

“We know it is going to be busy across all parts of the highways network; patience is going to be key. Our advice is clear, plan ahead, leave plenty of time to make your journey and please follow any directional signage to avoid any further delays to your journey. 

“Our Event Village opens at 2pm on Friday and 10am on Saturday and Sunday. Arrive as early as you can and enjoy taking your time to explore the site, browse the stalls and soak up the atmosphere before the flying displays begin.” 

Additional road closure  

Due to the continued emergency closure of Victoria Street, by 2pm on Friday 29 May, vehicles will not be able to enter Hyde Road from the Torquay Road junction. A signed diversion will be in place, directing all traffic via Cecil Road / Colley End Road. This will put additional traffic onto Kings Ash Road and Tweenaway junction. Hyde Road will also be closed from 10am on Saturday and Sunday.  

Motorists travelling to Brixham or to pre‑booked parking at Victoria, Victoria Square, Roundham and Quay West must use the Ring Road unless arriving before the closures.  

Roads are expected to be extremely busy throughout the weekend, so please allow plenty of time for your journey to ensure you arrive at the event without delay. 

Find information on the English Riviera Airshow on details of roads closed for the event. https://englishrivieraairshow.co.uk/visit/resident-business-information/  

Hyde Road / Dendy Road residents and businesses 

Information about access arrangements during the Hyde Road closure will be hand delivered residents and businesses by midday on Friday.  

Parking  

Unless motorists have pre‑booked parking in one of the designated car parks (Colin Road, Victoria, Victoria Square, Roundham or Quay West), limited town centre parking for shoppers will be available. Temporary parking restrictions will also be in place in and around the event area. Please check all signage before leaving your vehicle to avoid being unable to move it during the road‑closure periods. 

Due to the continued emergency closure of Victoria Street, which affects the exit route from Hyde Road car park, all motorists with bookings for Hyde Road on Saturday 30 May will be automatically transferred to the newly created Victoria Square car park. Those pre‑booked for Hyde Road on Friday 29 May and Sunday 31 May will be automatically transferred to one of the other nearby car parks and you will be notified via email.  

Please check your inbox before travelling to ensure you have the latest details and the correct postcode for your revised parking location. 

Short stay visitors to Paignton town centre not wishing to watch the Airshow should use Station Lane car park, located behind Paignton Library. Please note that spaces in this car park are very limited and it is only accessible via Dartmouth Road / Station Lane (bus station entrance). Shoppers can also use Crown and Anchor car park off Palace Avenue or on-street parking around Palace Avenue.  

Trains 

Trains into Paignton are running as normal. Services are expected to be very busy. A managed queuing system will be in place at Paignton Station to ensure passengers can enter and exit the station safely. Plan your rail journey with the English Riviera Airshow Official Travel Partner GWR: www.gwr.com/  

Buses 

The closure of Victoria Street means some bus services are running differently during the Airshow. 

Stagecoach services 

If you are travelling from the Torquay direction, please get off at Eugene Road, Manor Corner (Preston) or Victoria Park and walk to the event site. Staying on the bus after Victoria Park, all the way to Paignton Bus Station will mean delays, and you may miss some of the flying displays. 

Stagecoach will also be running some additional buses between Torquay and Paignton, which will terminate at Victoria Park. These buses will be clearly marked with Paignton as the destination. If you need to continue towards Brixham or South Devon College, please check you are on the correct bus before boarding.  

If you are travelling from the Brixham, Hookhills or Roselands direction, you should continue to get off at Paignton Bus Station as normal.  

Return journeys towards Torquay and beyond will be less affected by the closure but services may be subject to some delays as a result of road closures.  

Torbay Buses services 

108/109 will not serve Hyde Road or Paignton Bus Station. These services will start and finish at Victoria Park. 

Service 25 will not serve Esplanade Road, Manor Road, Torquay Road or Hyde Road. It will depart from Paignton Bus Station (Stand 8/9) instead of Paignton Library. 

For everyone else, buses will continue to run as they have throughout this week. 

Walking and cycling 

To help ease pressure on the road network, we encourage walking or cycling to Paignton wherever possible. 

Free, secure cycle parking is available at Parkfield House, Paignton, TQ3 2NH, making it easy for cyclists to leave their bikes safely before heading to the event. 

Park and stride from Torquay to Paignton, by parking at Torre Valley car park and enjoying the 2-mile coastal route to the Airshow event village.  

Taxis 

Temporary taxi facilities for both Private Hire and Hackney Carriage vehicles will be located in the Great Western car park. As a result, Great Western car park will be closed from 12pm on Friday 29 May until Monday morning when the car park will be open as normal.  

Taxi marshals will be on site to assist passengers throughout the event. 

Any vehicles left in this car park after the closing time may be issued with a PCN. 

Staggering your departure 

After the flying finishes on Friday and Saturday, the Event Village will remain open until 10.30pm. The main stage will come alive with live entertainment, and there will be plenty to enjoy with stalls, bars and food vendors all open into the evening. We recommend staying on to soak up the atmosphere and make the most of everything on offer, while also avoiding the busiest queues. 

Stay up to date on the English Riviera Airshow 

Follow the Official English Riviera Airshow and Torbay Council Facebook pages for all the latest event and access information.  

www.facebook.com/englishrivieraairshow/ | www.facebook.com/torbaycouncil/  

About the English Riviera Airshow  

The English Riviera Airshow, held annually since 2016. It combines thrilling flying displays with ground-based festivities, captivating audiences of all ages. The Airshow is a collaborative effort supported by Torbay Council, the English Riviera BID Company, local businesses and organisations, and aviation enthusiasts. https://englishrivieraairshow.co.uk/