We're excited to share that we have been able to extend the evening buses for the Bude Park and Ride for one day only.

On Monday 25 August 2025, the last bus from The Strand will be 21:45, allowing visitors time to enjoy the RNLI Lifeboat day into the evening.

We really encourage you to use the Park and Ride service on this day as the town car parks will get full very quickly. The congestion is causing problems for our responding emergency services, including the lifeboat crews.

For more information about the Bude Lifeboat day, have a look at their website: You’re invited to join us for Bude Lifeboat Day 2025! | RNLI

Works on site have been proceeding at speed now the block work revetment has been completed.

The historic tram rails have been preserved where possible at the top of the walkway, however where their condition was too poor in the lower part of the walkway, they have been replace in their original locations with like for like replacement rails.

The concrete walkway is being poured in short sections starting from the top and bottom of the walkway. The rails and historic setts have been included in the finished surface.

The final walkway surface has been given an exposed aggregate finish to allow it to blend in with the local setting and to provide additional friction.

The next week’s works will involve the preparation, pouring and finishing of more sections of walkway.

Placement of compacted aggregate foundation for concrete walkway.	Replacement tram rails being set in place and historic granite setts relocated to original locations, prior to pouring of concrete slab.	Finished exposed aggregate surface on top of walkway. with original rails inlayed into new concrete slab.

Works on the walkway are now fully underway, following the completion of the work to the revetment. The historic tramway surfacing has been removed, along with the granite setts being placed to one side, to be reinstalled in the final finished surface later.

Where possible the existing historic rails are being retained, however, where they are too damaged or corroded, they are being replaced with a like for like copy in the same position.

Towards the bottom of the walkway the blocks along the top edge of the tramway sea wall have been raised locally in low spots in order to make a consistent gradient for the final walkway surface.

Works for the next week will focus on preparation of the lower walkway for the installation of the concrete surfacing, by replacing the damaged sections of rail and replacing the historic granite setts in their original locations but at the finished walkway level.

Stripping off of the old surfacing and building up of the seaward walkway edge, to provide a continuous gradient for the finished walkway.	Raised edging of the wall in preparation for pouring of concrete walkway behind.	Freshly poured concrete walkway surface with historic rails incorporated and exposed aggregate surface.

There are road closures in place for the Bude Carnival on 16^th August. These closures affect the usual Park & Ride route. To allow the Park & Ride to keep running on this day, between 6-7pm the Park and Ride pick up/ drop off point will move to Budehaven school, Stratton Road (EX23 8DQ). The Park & Ride will not stop at the Strand during this time. The car park will remain the same.

Restoration work on the historic Sand Rails walkway continues to move forward, with recent cooler weather helping the team make good progress.

The sloping revetment and dwarf retaining wall are now complete and fully pointed. Attention has now shifted to the walkway itself, where work is underway to carefully restore the original surface.

Contractors have begun clearing the old cobbled surface at the seaward end of the walkway and removing any badly corroded sections of the original tramway rail. The historic granite setts have been surveyed and set aside. These will be reinstated in their original locations but at a slightly higher level when the new concrete surfacing is laid.

Since their installation, the temporary steps have been well used by visitors heading to Summerleaze beach, helping to ease pressure on the main access route during the busy summer season.

Completed revetment to dwarf wall transition.	Finished revetment and seeded top bank looking seaward.	Removal process of old walkway surfacing and corroded rails – historic granite setts removed and stored for reuse.	Newly installed temporary staircase reported to be well utilised by summer visitors to Bude.

Sloping revetment almost completed to its full height.	Sloping revetment almost completed to its full height	Revetment and dwarf wall interface awaiting pointing	New temporary access staircase installed for increased summer holiday foot traffic

Works have been progressing well on site with the revetment and dwarf retaining wall almost complete. The final pointing works are left to undertake.

Works are now progressing onto the sand rail walkway, where efforts will be made to preserve the historic granite setts of the old railway siding. Works will be undertaken to provide new walkway surfacing, incorporating the historic sand rails. Where the condition of the rails is too poor to allow their incorporation into the new surfacing, they will be replaced with replica narrow gauge train rails.

The new temporary set of stairs has now been installed to ease the expected increased summer holiday foot traffic visiting Summerleaze beach. The temporary stairs will remain in place until the works on the walkway are complete.

The Bude Park and Ride Pilot has been running for just over a week now, and has continued to have very positive feedback from those using it. In particular, it has proved especially popular with young people, who can travel on the bus for just £1 return.

Being dropped off at The Strand is particularly convenient if you want to go to the crazy golf, use the pedalos or rowing boats on the canal, feed the ducks, or go crabbing. Why not make the journey in to Bude part of the adventure, just like these young people did...

The final layer of scaffolding deck has been installed to allow the completion of the top part of the sloping revetment. The first five metres of the seaward end of the revetment are now complete.

Whilst high temperatures have been slowing progress with large concrete pours, teams have been working on re-pointing the gaps between the block to create a solid outer layer of the revetment. It is planned that works on the sloping revetment will be completed by the end of this week.

Now the revetment is nearing completion work will begin on the upper section of the walkway. This will involve removing the existing surfacing and preservation works on the existing sand rails.

The walkway works were originally planned to be completed before the summer holiday to allow inclusive access to Summerleaze beach, however with the programme delays Cornwall Council have chosen to install an additional set of temporary stairs to ease congestion on the existing access steps until the works are complete. The steps will be installed this week and will remain in place until the walkway works are completed.

Works on the final top section of revetment.	Re-pointing works to the completed sloping revetment face.	Re-pointing works on top of the to the completed dwarf wall.

This weekend saw the launch of the Bude Park and Ride, with a steady flow of customers, despite the awful weather on Sunday. The Bude Park and Ride pilot is part of the Future Coast Bude project. It is funded through the Defra Flood and Coastal Resilience Programme and was a recommendation in the Bude Town Vision.

Tony Gibbs, Town Team Lead, who developed the Vision, said ‘The Town Team worked with the local community to consider what could be done to improve Bude in the future. One of the issues that was identified was the congestion and poor environment that car traffic has for people in the town. A key recommendation of the report was for Bude to have a Park and Ride service. It is fantastic that the funding brought to the town through the Future Coast Bude project has allowed this to be piloted, and shows the benefit of having projects ready to go, for when funding becomes available.’

Locals and visitors alike used the service, with 100% of feedback in the first weekend saying the service was excellent and that they would use it again or recommend to friends and family.

The field, which the Dennis Family have kindly given their project permission to use, is located just off the A39, and has space for around 80 cars, with the ability to extend if the demand is there. It is in an ideal location between the King’s Hill junction for the town and the Hillhead/ Penbode roundabout.

Parking is free, with ticket prices £2 per adult, £1 per child and £6 for a family of up to two adults and 4 children.

The first weekend brought a real mixture of local families, people walking from nearby houses, visitors to the area and people using the free parking to allow them to use connecting buses in town to other destinations.

The service is running for six weeks, from 19 July to 30 August, 7 days a week, from 9:30 – 19:00.

Comments included praise for the ease of use, friendly drivers and regular service.

Additional signage is being investigated to make it even easier for tourists to choose this as the hassle free option for visiting the town. One visitor to Bude who used the service mentioned how it is clear that the town desperately needs this service as the traffic was so dreadful.

It is hoped that this service can improve the experience of visiting the town in peak season for locals and visitors alike. One local commented that she had spent significantly more money in the local shops than normal, as she didn’t feel under pressure to get back to the car.

Where is the Bude Park and Ride?

The Bude Park and Ride is situated in the field between the Bude Business Park and the A39. It is accessed off the A39.

How much is the Park and Ride?

Adults are £2 return, children £1 return and a family of up to 2 adults and 4 children is £6. This compares to £10.50 for 24 hours car parking at Summerleaze car park.

Park and Ride bus tickets will be specifically for the Park and Ride service and can't be used on any other GoCornwall Bus Service. Concessionary Bus Passes will not be accepted on this service.

What time is the service running?

The first bus will depart the Park and Ride bus stop at 9:30. Buses will run every 15 minutes, departing the Park and Ride Site at quarter past, half past, quarter to and on the hour.

The last bus to depart the Park and Ride will be at 18:45.

The first bus will arrive at The Strand at 09:38. Buses will run every 15 minutes, departing The Strand at 12 minutes, 27 minutes, 42 minutes and 57 minutes past the hour.

The last bus to depart The Strand is at 18:42.

How will Bude Carnival affect the Park & Ride?

Road closures are in place for Bude Carnival on 16^th August. Between 6-7pm on this day, the Park and Ride pick up/ drop off point will move to Budehaven school, Stratton Road.

Can I take my beach equipment on the Park and Ride?

You can take your beach equipment, although the buses will not be able to take large surf boards.

How far is it to get to the beach from The Strand?

Summerleaze beach is between 5 and 10 minutes walk and Crooklets beach is between 15 and 20 minutes walk.

The Town Centre is around 3 minutes walk.

Can dogs go on the Park and Ride?

Dogs can travel free of charge on the Park and Ride.

Is the Park and Ride suitable for wheelchair users?

The parking field is quite uneven, and might be difficult to navigate in a wheelchair. The bus will have a ramp, but there is no kerb at the Park and Ride site, so the ramp will be quite steep if used.

Whose land is the Park and Ride on?

The Park and Ride field is being used by kind permission of the Dennis Family.

What happens if I miss the last bus back to the Park and Ride?

The Park and Ride is approximately 35 minute walk from The Strand. It is recommended that you access the Park and Ride field through the field entrance off the Bude Business Park.

Local taxis may be able to take you.

The gates to the site will be shut over night.

Why are you piloting a Park and Ride in Bude?

As our climate changes, our amenities on the coast will come under more and more pressure. This includes car parks. As part of a local consultation, a Park and Ride service for Bude was recommended to take the pressure off the beach side car parks. The Future Coast Bude project has provided the funding to pilot this to see if it helps provided a suitable alternative to town centre car parking.