Successful ‘night bus’ scheme funded by Commissioner to run again this year

Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner

Successful ‘night bus’ scheme funded by Commissioner to run again this year

Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner (centre), with representatives from Devon & Cornwall Police, Devon County Council, Stagecoach and University of Exeter

Night buses will continue to be available in North Devon and Torquay, plus on new routes in Plymouth and Exeter on Saturday nights until the end of the year.

Following the success in the summer and Christmas of 2024, Devon & Cornwall Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner’s office are working with partners to continue running night buses across the two counties, providing seven new routes in addition to the four existing routes from last year.

Night bus services, provided by Stagecoach in Devon and First Bus in Newquay, will operate on Saturday evenings from May throughout 2025 in a bid to reduce drink and drug-related incidents. The buses will also be available in Devon on Friday, December 19, and New Year’s Eve.

The North Devon, Torquay, Plymouth and Exeter buses will run between May 31 and New Year’s Eve 2025, and a longer Newquay service until September 6.

The services have been set up by Devon & Cornwall Police and funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) with support from Devon County Council, North Devon Council, Torridge District Council, Ilfracombe Town Council, Torbay Council, Cornwall Council, Plymouth Waterfront Partnership, Cornwall Air Ambulance and Newquay BID.

Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: “I am delighted that my office will once again fund this fantastic service and help even more people get home safely after a night out. I need people to use these services to show it is commercially viable to ensure it becomes a mainstay of having a night out.

“The extension of the night bus service to include seven new routes will be a fantastic boost to our evening and night time economy, encouraging residents and visitors alike to relax and enjoy socialising in Exeter, Plymouth, Newquay, Torbay and North Devon without worrying about the expense of a taxi, or having a designated driver.

“Night buses in Devon and Cornwall have been proven to be a great success, reducing crime and antisocial behaviour and making people feel safer – with the added benefit of allowing them to get home for less than the cost of a pint or a glass of wine.”

Assistant Chief Constable Glen Mayhew said: “With partnership funding and support we have managed to re-launch a tested and successful initiative. The provision of improved night-time transport will ensure people, and particularly women and girls, arrive home safely having enjoyed their evening out with friends.

“We have seen that this also reduces antisocial behaviour and has a positive impact across our communities. I am pleased to see so many dedicated routes with such a wide reach into our communities”.

Peter Knight, Managing Director of Stagecoach South West said: “We are proud to be part of an initiative that provides a safe and affordable evening travel option for customers. It is a great example of our ongoing commitment to serving the needs of residents and where required working with partners to achieve that goal. We hope to see a similar positive impact for the community that has been seen in Torquay and North Devon previously.”

Simon Goff, Managing Director at First Bus South said: "We're proud to be working alongside Devon & Cornwall Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner to deliver night bus services in Newquay again this year. Last year’s service was incredibly well received, and we're excited to see it return and expand. Providing safe, affordable and reliable transport late at night helps keep communities safe and supports the local night time economy.”

Inspector Nathan Johnson, from the Exeter Neighbourhood Team, Devon & Cornwall Police added: “Exeter is a safe city, although like other towns and cities, it has its challenges. By acknowledging these issues and working in partnership, we can identify the best solutions for our community.

“One such partnership is the introduction of the night bus routes, which will run on Saturday nights from Exeter to Dawlish, Exmouth, Cullompton and Crediton providing safe journeys home for those enjoying a night out in the city.

“This has been made possible with a partnership between Devon & Cornwall Police, Stagecoach, Devon County Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office.

“The research from previous night bus schemes in other areas of Devon and Cornwall suggests that we will see a drop in drink driving and antisocial behaviour. I welcome the introduction of the scheme into Exeter.”

Newquay Sector Inspector Steve Johnson, said: “The night bus was a service provided for the summer of 2024 by the Alcohol Licensing team in conjunction with Cornwall Council and the Office of Police and Crime Commissioner to provide a late night bus service for the night-time economy in Newquay. 

“This allowed people from the locality the opportunity to visit the town and enjoy a night out safe in the knowledge they could get home safe without the need to drive.  This was very well received by both the public and the licensees within the town where over 650 people used the service and we saw a drop in crime and ASB as a result. 

“I really welcome the return of the Night Bus for 2025 and am delighted that we are continuing to work with our partners as well as Newquay BID and Cornwall Air Ambulance for this year.  

“Any initiative such as this is welcomed as a service to the public that helps us provide a safe environment for the night time economy in Newquay.”

Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust’s Jon Michael, Head of Marketing and Communications, said: “We are delighted to get behind the night bus scheme in partnership with Devon & Cornwall Police and other key partners who are supporting the scheme. Getting people home safely at night is so important and we were delighted to have an opportunity to promote the work of Cornwall Air Ambulance on the night buses and to partner in this fantastic scheme.”

Jon Walton, CEO of Plymouth Waterfront Partnership said: “We are delighted to be able to support this initiative that provides a safe, reliable and sustainable way of visiting Britain's Ocean City and we have a huge range of accredited venues to provide the perfect night out!”

Mark Warren, Newquay BID Manager said: “Newquay BID are really pleased to be involved in supporting the night bus scheme this year. The night bus is another addition to keeping customers and businesses safe alongside CCTV, additional policing, Newquay Rangers and Pubwatch, and this will enhance the enjoyment and safety of our night time economy.”

Tickets for the services cost a maximum of £3 for a single journey, and full timetables are available on the provider websites:

Stagecoach, covering Devon – Niterider | Stagecoach

First Bus, covering Newquay – Timetable N1

The new routes are:

Torquay:

22 – St Marychurch to South Devon College

12 – Brixham to Torquay

Plymouth:

1 – Plymouth to Tavistock

2 – Plymouth to Saltash

North Devon:

21 – Barnstaple to Bideford