Moving to Torquay: A Local Guide to Areas, Commuting and Move Day
/Moving to Torquay often starts with a view of the bay and a list of streets that all look lovely online. The part of Torbay you choose decides your commute, your walk to the shops and what moving day looks like, because a Victorian villa in Wellswood and a bungalow in Preston are very different jobs for a removal crew. This guide covers the main areas, the transport links and the move-day details that catch people out. It is written by Empire Removals, a family run removals company about twenty minutes from Torquay at our Newton Abbot depot.
Torquay's Areas and What the Housing Is Like
Wellswood and the Warberries. East of the harbour, these two neighbouring areas are known for large Victorian villas in mature gardens, many now split into flats. Wellswood has a small run of independent shops on Ilsham Road. The roads are steep and winding, drives can be long and narrow, and some villas have several floors of stairs.
Babbacombe and St Marychurch. On the north side of town, Babbacombe sits above the cliffs with the Downs, the Cliff Railway and Oddicombe Beach below. St Marychurch has its own pedestrianised precinct and a village feel. Housing is a mix of Victorian terraces, Edwardian semis and seafront apartment blocks, with some bungalows further back.
Chelston and Cockington. West of the seafront, Chelston has Edwardian and interwar semis on fairly gentle roads, close to Torre Abbey and the Torquay station end of town. Cockington next door is a conservation village with thatched cottages and Cockington Court. Its lanes are narrow, so a smaller vehicle is often the sensible choice there.
Torre and Ellacombe. Just north of the town centre, Torre and Ellacombe are mostly Victorian terraces on tight streets. They suit first-time buyers and anyone who wants to walk into town. Parking is limited on both sides of many roads, and Torre has its own railway station.
Shiphay. Towards the A380, Shiphay is mainly post-war and newer family estates with drives and gardens. Torbay Hospital is close by, and both of Torquay's grammar schools are in the area. Access for a removal van is easier here, but school-run traffic is heavy at the start and end of the day.
Preston and Goodrington in Paignton. Across the bay in Paignton, Preston has interwar semis and bungalows a short walk from Preston Sands. Goodrington, south of Paignton harbour, has family homes on the hill above Goodrington Sands, with newer estates further up. Both are popular with retirees and families, and our removals Paignton page covers the town in more detail.
Brixham. At the southern end of Torbay, Brixham is a working fishing port. Fishermen's cottages and terraces climb steeply from the harbour, with newer housing on the edges of town towards Berry Head. Brixham has no railway station, so most people drive or take the bus to Paignton.
Commuting From Torbay
By rail. Torquay has two stations, Torquay and Torre, on the Riviera Line, which runs from Paignton through Newton Abbot to Exeter St Davids. Trains run frequently, and the journey to Exeter takes under an hour. Some Great Western Railway services run direct to London Paddington, though most London journeys mean a change at Newton Abbot or Exeter. Paignton station is next to the town centre and the bus station.
By road. The A380 is the main route in and out of Torbay. It runs past Newton Abbot on the South Devon Highway, the Kingskerswell bypass, and joins the A38 towards Exeter and the M5. Exeter is around forty minutes by car outside the rush hour. The Torbay Ring Road links Torquay, Paignton and Brixham, but expect slow traffic on summer weekends.
By air. Exeter Airport is about an hour away by car, near the M5 at Clyst Honiton.
Many people moving to Torbay from London and the South East work from home for most of the week. If that is you, check broadband speeds for the exact address before you commit, as they vary from street to street.
Move-Day Practicalities in Torquay and Paignton
Seafront parking. On-street parking across Torbay is managed by Torbay Council. Seafront roads such as Torbay Road in Torquay, and Marine Drive and Eastern Esplanade in Paignton, are pay and display, and spaces come under heavy pressure from Easter to the end of the summer holidays. The council lets removal vans use on-street pay and display bays free for the move, but only with prior notice. Where a van needs to stand on a yellow line or in a limited waiting bay, a parking dispensation is needed. Applications are made online and need at least one working day's notice, submitted before 4pm. Same-day requests are refused.
Seafront flats with lifts. Many apartment blocks along the seafront and around the harbour have shared entrances, lifts and set times for moving in. Book the lift with the managing agent, ask whether it needs protecting, and check its size, because a large sofa or wardrobe may have to come up the stairs.
The hill roads. Torquay is built on hills. Roads in Wellswood, the Warberries, Babbacombe and parts of Chelston can be too steep or narrow for a large lorry. A good removal company checks the route to your door at the survey and picks the right vehicle and crew size, so the van stands safely and the carry is planned in advance.
Summer traffic. Weekends from July to early September are the busiest on Torbay's roads. If your move falls in the holidays, an early start and a weekday date make the day run more smoothly.
Planning Your Removal to Torquay
Moving to Torquay from the South East usually means a long-distance move and a full day for the crew, sometimes two. A survey before the quote matters even more then, because the crew needs to know about parking, lifts and gradients at both ends. Ask for a fixed price in writing and check exactly what is included.
At Empire Removals, every move starts with a free home or video survey and a fixed quote. We are family run and fully insured, with a Google rating of 4.9 from over 75 reviews. Free boxes and tape come with every move, and our team can pack the whole house or just the kitchen and fragile items. If there is a gap between completion dates, we can also store your belongings at our Newton Abbot depot.
If you are still choosing a mover, our guide to removal companies in Torquay sets out what to compare. For how we cover the town, see our removals Torquay page.
A Checklist for the Week Before Your Move
Confirm the date, arrival time and both addresses with your removal company.
Check that any Torbay Council parking dispensation is in place and pass the details to the crew.
Book the lift with your building's managing agent if you are moving into a seafront flat.
Finish packing everything except a first-night box: kettle, mugs, chargers, toiletries, medication and bedding.
Defrost the freezer and empty the fridge.
Set up redirection with Royal Mail and update your bank, GP and council tax.
Take meter readings at both properties on the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
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If the van needs to park on a yellow line or in a limited waiting bay, it needs a parking dispensation from Torbay Council. Removal vans can use on-street pay and display bays free for the move, but only if the council has been told in advance. Apply at least one working day ahead.
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Summer weekends, especially from July to early September, are the busiest because of holiday traffic and seafront parking pressure. The end of each month also fills up quickly.
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Around forty minutes by car on the A380 outside the rush hour. By train from Torquay or Torre to Exeter St Davids, it takes under an hour.
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Usually, yes. Some roads are too steep or narrow for a large lorry, so the route and the drive should be checked at the survey. The vehicle and crew size are then chosen to suit.
Book Your Free Survey
Planning a move to Torquay or anywhere in Torbay? Call us on 01626 211469 or request a quote online, and we will arrange a free survey and send you a fixed price. You can read more about how we work on our removals Torquay page.
