Torbay Road in Paignton to reopen in both directions

Torbay Road is to reopen in both directions, Torbay Council has announced today.

The decision follows a long saga that began with a trial pedestrianisation zone through Paignton’s artery road in the autumn of 2022.

Supporters of the road closure say that it establishes a safer, pollution-free area for shoppers and constitutes an integral component of the multi-million-pound revitalisation of Paignton’s town centre.

However, traders on Torbay Road say that the pedestrianisation scheme has strangled business, costing them thousands and threatening many with bankruptcy.

The anger culminated in a demonstration organised by traders, demanding that the road be reopened.

Last year, the new Conservative-led administration changed course on the plans, instead proposing a revised semi-pedestrianisation.

Vehicles would be able to enter Torbay Road from Esplanade Road and drive up to the Queens Road junction, before turning either left onto Queens Road or right onto Garfield Road.

The other half of Torbay Road is exclusively for pedestrians and cyclists, within certain peak times.

However now, Torbay Road is set to revert to how it was before any changes were made, ending the pedestrianisation plan altogether.

Addressing traders, Torbay Council Leader Dave Thomas (Cons) said: “We have consulted with thousands of people on this decision, be it residents, traders, disabled groups, the bus company, taxis or coach companies.

“We've got some money that we want to spend on Torbay Road and we can’t do that until we’ve made this decision.

“We are announcing today that we are opening Torbay Road in both directions, going back to the original system before the trial. Parking will be returning to the street.

“We are unable to do it before Easter, but the work is scheduled with SwissCo to be done immediately after Easter, plenty of time for it to be in place before the summer season.

“People are entrenched on either side of this, but on balance, we had a lot more people asking us to forget the idea, hold your hands up, and say it was wrong.”

He added: “We have the money we want to spend on the improvements on the street and we’re looking to spend that in September of this year.”

Deputy Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Place Development and Economic Growth, Chris Lewis (Cons), said: “This street is one of the largest and most important streets in Torbay. In the summer it’s heaving.

“The traders have said over the last two years that it's not been working and we’ve got to keep that in mind.”

For many traders along Torbay Road, the announcement was a moment of relief.

Mike Morisson, Chair of Torbay Road Traders Association and owner of Hyperspace, said: “I knew it was going to be a car crash as soon as they announced the pedestrianisation.

“I've seen schemes like this all over the country, you just need the footfall in a place like this. Cutting off the cars has caused complete chaos.”

Mike also cited the loss of coach trade as well as a rise in anti-social behaviour as key issues that the scheme had caused.

“All us traders welcome today’s news,” he added.

One such trader is Martin Bullus, who has been the proprietor of the clothing store Come West for almost 40 years.

“I objected right from the beginning,” said Martin.

“Things got really bad because you can’t do trade when people can’t get to you, particularly in the winter. Taxis can’t get around, coaches can’t get in, and it cuts the town in two.

“The one-way was slightly better, but people still couldn’t get to us too easily.”

Martin welcomed the u-turn but worried that the project would cast a shadow over business in Torbay Road that would be hard to shake.

He said: “It’s had a lasting effect now because people have got out of the habit of coming to Torbay Road, they go elsewhere.

“People used to come after work, but now after 4pm it just goes dead. Every shop on this road used to stay open until 6pm, now you may as well finish at four.

“It’s been very difficult.”