Docks' £23m transformation nears completion

A £23m overhaul at Plymouth's Millbay docks is nearing completion.

The programme includes a new boarding bridge and a fully refurbished terminal for Brittany Ferries passengers as well as improvements to the quayside.

Brittany Ferries has been big business for Millbay Docks for more than 50 years.

The first sailing between Roscoff in France and Plymouth in Devon set off in Janaury 1973.

But it has been through some challenging times with passenger numbers and freight volumes still down on pre-pandemic and pre-Brexit levels.

Now the port owner and operator ABP has invested £23m to upgrade Millbay and to keep its biggest customer on board.

"It's a critical port for us and working with our strategic partner and customer Brittany Ferries is really important," said Ashely Curnow, ABP's divisional port manager for Wales and the South West.

"It's also really important that we keep upgrading the port to keep it as modern as we can.

"I mention moving towards net zero - but also enhancing that customer experience is really important for us," he said.

For now the most visible sign is a new £6m passenger boarding bridge, which when complete will provide a fully covered walkway between the terminal and ferry.

The section already installed was shipped from Spain to Plymouth on board a Brittany Ferry at the end of last year.

The remaining sections are due to arrive by road from Portsmouth in the next few weeks.

Brittany Ferries extended its annual winter break this year to allow time for the work to be completed.

When services resume at the end of March foot passengers will also see a fully refurbished terminal building.

ABP's group head of brand Gareth Bewley said it was a commitment to continued operations in Plymouth.

"It certainly highlights how dearly we hold Plymouth. Our original route was between Roscoff and Plymouth and it will always be that way," he said.

Part of the plan for growth is to attract more visitors from France to Plymouth.

"We've had our UK headquarters here and our French headquarters in Roscoff for many, many years and over that time we've built such strong connections and we're really pleased to see Plymouth being upgraded to a level where we think it has become an even more attractive destination than it was before," said Mr Bewley.

The project also pulled in £1.3m of seed funding from Plymouth & South Devon Freeport towards upgrades and strengthening to the quayside.

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