Cornwall Transit

Cornwall Transit 002

Part 1 was back on the 6th January

First Kernow

Newly acquired Optare Solos 53503 YJ06YSK and 53504 YJ56AOT are in a two tone green livery which is pretty much the same as the Buses in Somerset livery. Both lettered up for First Kernow it does appear to be the new livery for the Cornwall fleet. Whilst it would have been nice to see something different for Cornwall, it is very smart and does make sense as it allows for easy transfers between the two fleets.

First also announced special fares on their new services:

From 7th January we’re lowering some of our fares on our new service 24 and extended service 27. Here’s a few examples: On service 24: Mevagissey – St Austell – Fowey) Mevagissey to St Austell Adult £3 single £4.50 return Tywardreath to St Austell Adult £3 single £4.50 return

On service 27 (Bodmin – St Austell – Truro) Penwithick to St Austell Adult £2 single £3 return Bodmin to Roche Adult £3 single £4.50 return

 

 

VOSA

PH0004983/506 - FIRST DEVON & CORNWALL LTD, THE RIDE, CHELSON MEADOW, PLYMOUTH, PL9 7JT Registration Accepted by SN Starting Point: Carglaze Industrial Estate Finish Point: Carglaze Industrial Estate Via: Boscoppa, At. Austell Bus Station Service Number: 30 Service Type: Normal Stopping Effective Date: 05-JAN-2015 Other Details: Monday to Friday, except public holidays.

This one was already covered in the last edition - its to replace the Cornwall Busways service 30.

Social Media

There was a nice little discussion on the First Kernow Facebook page from a passenger asking a perfectly reasonable question:
Why ,if you are making a profit, do you have to be subsided by local and national government, When you tender for the routes you know the profitable and not so profitable routes and as such these should be taken account of at that time!

actually our fuel costs are below the typical pump advertised prices, As part of a large group company we are able to negotiate the price we pay for a year per litre from one of the fuel suppliers. As such our costs are not calculated against mainstream pump prices. Although I can't go into more specific detail. I hope you will now understand the retail pump price reduction shouldn't be used as a basis for what might happen with our fares.(KC)

So the huge reduction on the price of oil hasn't affected your fuel price at all? Is it not worth negotiating a better deal to pass savings onto customers?

unfortunately as I said I cant comment to much on what is commercially sensitive information to us as a business. On the flip side of this coin. We have suffered a reduction since 2012 in the amount of duty on fuel we can claim back due to changes to Bus Service operators grants with further changes to this in 2014. This has increased operating costs to all bus companies and it's not all been passed to the customers by increased fares. Along with reduced funding from councils to operate commercially uneconomical routes. As I said there is a bigger picture than the cost of road side advertised fuel prices. (KC)

Its good to see the company try to explain the problems they are facing rather than just ignore the questions. I guess we can expect a lot more focus on fares over the coming months especially as we lead up to the next election...

Travel Cornwall

Covered last time, these new timetables for Travel Cornwall (Summercourt) started this week from the 19th January 2015:

• 450 Veryan - Portloe - Tregony - Summercourt
• 497 Pedna Carne - Ladock - Truro

Western Greyhound

Lets start off with the bit of WG that's very much on the outskirts of Cornwall Transit's normal coverage: Last time we mentioned a few new VOSA registrations for Western Greyhound:

PH0006741/119 - WESTERN GREYHOUND LTD, WESTERN HOUSE, ST. AUSTELL STREET, SUMMERCOURT, NEWQUAY, TR8 5DR Registration Accepted by SN Starting Point: Bitterne Shops Finish Point: Bursledon Tesco Via: Harefield, Thornhill, Sholine Service Number: 15 Service Type: Normal Stopping Effective Date: 12-JAN-2015 Other Details: Monday to friday except public and bank holidays.

PH0006741/120 - WESTERN GREYHOUND LTD, WESTERN HOUSE, ST. AUSTELL STREET, SUMMERCOURT, NEWQUAY, TR8 5DR Registration Accepted by SN Starting Point: Southampton City Centre Finish Point: Shirley Precinct Via: Regents Park, Millbrook Service Number: S2 Service Type: Normal Stopping Effective Date: 12-JAN-2015 Other Details: Monday to Saturday, Except public and bank holidays.

PH0006741/121 - WESTERN GREYHOUND LTD, WESTERN HOUSE, ST. AUSTELL STREET, SUMMERCOURT, NEWQUAY, TR8 5DR Registration Accepted by SN Starting Point: Lords Hill Centre Finish Point: Hedge End (Sainsubury's Superstore) Via: Shiley Precinct, Southampton City Centre, Thornhill Service Number: S1 Service Type: Normal Stopping Effective Date: 12-JAN-2015 Other Details: Monday to Saturday, except public and bank holidays

This was then followed by the news from Xelabus: From Monday 12th January 2015 we will be taking over the three services operated by Black Velvet Travel. The services will be operated by green Xelabus vehicles. This has been explained: its correct that Velvet was to be renamed Solent Greyhound, but Xelabus recently made an offer to buy the company, which would have been daft to turn down, and enables Smith and Butcher to concentrate on Western Greyhound without the distraction of Southampton.

Vehicle News

Its very much a fluid situation at the moment with buses in all colours currently operating in Cornwall. Highlights are

• Volvo B7TL W401WGH in all over pink as WG fleet number 461.
• Dennis Dart MPD SHZ2046 also in pink as WG number 202.
• DAF SB120 FJ54ZDP WG 388 GA London Red livery
• DAF SB120 FJ54ZDT WG 389 GA London Red livery
• DAF SB120 BX04BXM WG 243 GA London Red livery
• Dennis Dart Caetano Y361HMY WG 283 plain white livery
• Dennis Dart Plaxton PJ02RGZ WG 286 Pennine Orange & Black livery

Photo credit: EastleighBusman under Creative Commons Licence.