For the first time since 2018, bus route 65 is back on the roads in Torquay. The reinstated Torbay Community Development Trust bus service is now up and running on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and covers The Willows to Torquay Town Centre via Hele, St Marychurch, Babbacombe and Plainmoor.

Support for two Torbay Community Development Trust services, routes 61 and 65, run by Our Bus Torbay, a community led bus service, has been given after funding was confirmed in the budget, following the proposal from the Cabinet last October. A £150k fund was approved by Torbay Council to support the local bus services which needed it most, especially with the Covid recovery.  This currently allows County Bus services 15 and 16 in Brixham as well as Torbay Buses services across Torquay and Paignton to continue to run.

The National Bus Strategy, published in March 2021, sets out the vision and opportunity to deliver better bus services for passengers.  Torbay Council will work with the community and operators in the coming months to produce a Bus Service Improvement Plan which will set out key objectives including how to grow bus use and address the under provision of services in the longer term.

Route 61 runs between Livermead and Torquay Town Centre, operating on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Routes 15 and 16 run between Brixham Town Centre, Summercourt Way, South Bay Holiday Park and Higher Ranscombe Road.

Torbay Buses run the 25 between Paignton Town Centre, Morrison’s, St Michael’s, and Roundham; the 108/109 between Paignton Town Centre, Colley End Road, Great Parks and Foxhole; the 60 between Paignton Town Centre, Shorton, Preston, and Occombe Valley; the 62 between Torquay Harbour, Cockington and Chelston; and the 64 between Torquay Town Centre, the Lincombes and the Warberries.

Councillor Steve Darling, Leader of Torbay Council, said; “We are extremely pleased to be able to welcome route 65 back to the streets of Torquay, as well as seeing the continuation of the other services at risk.  Bus services are a lifeline for many residents and the funding we have allocated will allow them to keep providing such a vital service.”

Full route information can be found at https://www.torbaycdt.org.uk/core-work/ourbus-torbay/

Information and journey planning for all services can be found at https://www.travelinesw.com/