From
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The bus routes linking city streets to sandy shores
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There are several stops on the number 70 bus route which offer direct access to the South West Coast Path
As the busy holiday season approaches, a network of coastal buses offers a car‑free route to some of Devon and Cornwall's most striking seaside locations - including one special route that is about to come back into service.
Stagecoach South West's seasonal number 54 "beach bus" returns each May, linking Plymouth city centre with Bovisand Beach for the summer. Peter Knight, managing director for Stagecoach South West, said the seasonal bus was an "easy, affordable and sustainable way to reach the coast", without the need to drive or park.
Meanwhile in Plymouth and beyond, there are many seasonal and permanent coastal bus services around the South West, designed to help residents and visitors reach beaches, harbours and coastal paths without needing a car.
Plymouth Citybus' number 70 service provides year-round travel from Plymouth to Cawsand, stopping off at Torpoint, Whitsand Bay, and various other locations along the coast along the way.
Jason Beverly, senior customer experience manager at Go South West, which runs both Plymouth Citybus and Go Cornwall, said coastal bus services being easily accessible was "really important". He said: "It's really important that we have these vital bus links, not only for the residents who live there and come in and out of Plymouth for basic services but also actually for people's health and wellbeing, people's mental health."
Beverly said it was good for people to be able to access open spaces in "a way that is easily accessible, affordable, and also good for the planet".
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The number 70 bus is an all-year-round service
Nationally most bus fares, including Stagecoach South West services and the Go South West network, an adult single is currently capped at £3 - as part of the government's national bus fare cap.
Beverly said with the cost of living on the rise, particularly the cost of fuel and travel, it was "more important than ever" for people to have access to public transport to reach open spaces. "Being able to get out of the city for £3 to such beautiful spots as Whitsand Bay, to the beaches, is great value for people, and I think a lot more people will be staycationing this year, as obviously the cost of travel is rising rapidly, the cost of fuel... people are having to budget in different ways, [they] might not be able to afford the holidays abroad and so on."
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The number 70 bus boasts beautiful sea views for much of the journey
In May, Stagecoach South West is set to reintroduce the number 54 bus from Plymouth city centre to Bovisand Beach - known locally as the "beach bus".
The seasonal service, financially supported by Plymouth City Council, starts on Saturday 23 May - with six bus journeys each way throughout the day from 09:40 until 18:23. The service will run through the half term week until 31 May, and will resume on Saturday 25 July, running until Sunday 6 September, according to the timetable. It sets off from the A10 bus stop on the Royal Parade and stops a short walk from the beach at Bovisand.
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Bovisand Beach is one of the most popular locations in the area in the summer months
Knight said the number 54 service offered "an easy, affordable, and sustainable way to reach the coast", without the need to drive or park, with the cost of living proving to be "quite challenging" for people at the moment.
The Stagecoach South West manager said Plymouth was surrounded by some outstanding countryside and natural features and it is "important that we take the pressure off our local road network and our car parks".
Knight said there was "enough capacity" in the Stagecoach South West network to meet any additional demand this summer, with many expected to head to the South West this summer to staycation. "This is going to be a really big year for British tourism and you know, it's important that the tourism industry in the South West is ready for that potential uptick and spike in demand." He added: "Let's hope for some sunny weather, some warm weather, and really help people enjoy our fantastic coast and countryside here in the South West."
There are many services in the South West which connect residents and visitors alike to the coast:
In Exeter, Stagecoach runs the number 95 bus, which connects the city to Sidmouth, and the 57 bus, which runs between the city centre and Exmouth. In Torbay, Stagecoach runs the number 12 bus, running between Torquay, Paignton, and Brixham. Elsewhere in east Devon, the number 11 Stagecoach service connects Dawlish Warren with Teignmouth and Torquay. Across the border in Cornwall, there are a number of services connecting some of the county's more urban areas with the coast.
Go Cornwall Bus runs the 95 bus between Wadebridge, Polzeath, and Rock and the number 1 service, which connects Penzance to Land's End. It also operates the 56 bus, which travels between Newquay and Padstow, stopping off at Watergate Bay, Newquay Cornwall Airport, and Constantine, among other routes.
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