Cornwall Transit 006

Cornwall Transit 006

Last time round I mentioned that it had been fairly quiet!
Previous Chapters: CT001,  CT002, CT003, CT004, CT005

Western Greyhound

Wow! where do we start?
I did have a full post planned out with full details of the route changes which were due to start from the 29th March. I had lots of maps and everything all prepared. There does not seem any point in using these here now but I will still save them on my Plymothian Transit Bus Services site as I close the routes down…

VOSA

This last week, just before they went bust, Western Greyhound had one cancellation posted:

• PH0006741/113 - WESTERN GREYHOUND LTD, WESTERN HOUSE, ST. AUSTELL STREET, SUMMERCOURT, NEWQUAY, TR8 5DR Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Bodmin (Mount Folly) and Liskeard given service number 593 effective from 03-May-2015.

I believe there were more but events have overtaken the registrations. It is interesting that this section of the 593 is not being covered by anyone in the big route carve up so clearly can not be deemed worthwhile by anyone.

The End

An announcement was made by Cornwall Council this morning that the company is experiencing "operational issues". Driver Paul Wills told the Cornish Guardian he arrived for work at 5.30am this morning for his shift only to be told that the company will no longer cease to trade, and was handed a redundancy letter.
Mr Wills said the letter explained to staff that the directors had "many hurdles" to overcome since taking over Western Greyhound, including an issue with fleet insurance. He said they explained they have explored "all avenues" before making the decision to cease trading.
Read more: http://www.cornishguardian.co.uk/Western-Greyhound-bus-services-Cornwall-cancelled/story-26166558-detail/story.html#ixzz3UTUtQ7wd
DIRECTORS of Western Greyhound say they have spent the morning trying to ensure the majority of its staff will be swiftly re-employed – and confirmed the company has ceased trading due to a "financial issue" with its insurance. Mr Bishop, who only purchased the entire share capital of Western Greyhound in December from the previous owners, said he has explored all the alternatives to the situation, but without success. He held talks with several workers at the firm's depot in Summercourt this morning.  Mr Bishop said he could not comment on matters relating to the previous owners - Mark Howarth, his wife Mari and Robin Orbell – but did say that the past is "related" to the sudden decision to cease trading. Mr Bishop also declined to comment on issues relating to the repayment of creditors.
Read more: http://www.cornishguardian.co.uk/Western-Greyhound-director-says-focus-reemploying/story-26167674-detail/story.html#ixzz3UTVcLnt0

Public Inquiry

A spokesman for the Traffic Commissioner said: "I can now confirm that the company has been called to a public inquiry before the Traffic Commissioner for the West of England. This will take place on 23 and 24 March, commencing at 10:30am on the first day.  Read more: http://www.cornishguardian.co.uk//Western-Greyhound-facing-Traffic-Commission/story-26167184-detail/story.html#ixzz3UTXLaWpR

The Future

It has to be said that Cornwall County Council has worked brilliantly well with other operators to ensure as much of the WG network is covered. Details of the new arrangements are listed under the new operators below. A council spokesperson said: "Four companies have agreed to provide the majority of services from Monday and so it is hoped that, for the main part, disruption to the general public will be kept to a minimum. " There will still be some former Western Greyhound buses on the road, from Monday onwards, but they will not be operated by Western Greyhound."  All Real Time Passenger Information signs (RTPI) have been switched off to avoid confusion while the service timetables are being updated.
Read more: http://www.cornishguardian.co.uk/Replacement-buses-Western-Greyhound-start-Monday/story-26169475-detail/story.html#ixzz3UTWwCJl3

Route by Route

• 520 St Austell - Grampound – Truro First - 520 New Arrangement
• 521 Newquay - St Dennis - St Austell First 21 - Service already in place and Evenings and Sundays
• 522 St Austell – Truro First - 522 New Arrangement
• 524 Fowey - St Austell - Mevagissey - Heligan Gardens First 24 - Service already in place but will add evenings and Sundays in line 524
• 525 Fowey - Par - St Austell – Mevagissey First - 525 New Arrangement with revised time
• 527 Newquay - Eden Project First - 527 New Arrangement with revised time
• 529 St Austell – Bodmin First 27 - Service already in place add evenings and Sundays in line 529
• 550 Truro - Probus - Tregony - Portscatho - St Mawes First - 550 New Arrangement possible revised time
• 551 Truro - Probus - Tregony – Veryan First - combined with the 550 new arrangement
• 555 Bodmin Parkway – Padstow Plymouth City Bus - 75 new arrangement with revised times
• 556 Newquay – Padstow First - 556 new arrangement
• 558 Newquay - Mayfield – Pentire First - 558 new arrangement
• 584 Wadebridge – Camelford Stagecoach - 584 new arrangement
• 586 Newquay – Truro First - 585 new arrangement with revised times
• 587 Newquay - Crantock - Cubert - Perranporth - St Agnes – Truro First 87 - Service already in place, varied to include St Agnes
• 593 Liskeard - Bodmin (Bodmin to St Columb Major leg removed) Plymouth City Bus - 75 new arrangement with revised timetable
• 594 Wadebridge - St Columb Major – Truro First 90,91 & 92 - Service already in place but with variations to service St Columb Major
• 595 Wadebridge - Boscastle – Bude Stagecoach - 595 new arrangement
• 597 Newquay - St Columb Major - Fraddon - Summercourt – Truro First 90,91 & 92 - Service already in place but with variations to service St Columb Major
• LIS105 Liskeard - school run Group Travel - New arrangement until end of academic year

As I type this none of the new Cornish network has appeared on the public VOSA site. Its often a few days behind events so I guess we will start seeing them later this week. Rather than wait a full two weeks for Cornwall Transit 007, I will post an extra Cornwall Transit 006A later in the week to cover all the new services in more detail.

First Kernow

This afternoon, following agreement with Cornwall Council to step in, we can confirm we anticipate well run some form of replacement bus service from Monday, following the cessation of Western Greyhounds services today. We are currently working on driver duties, schedules and timetables and we are sure you will appreciate this takes time. As well as working on these they also need to have them approved by the Regulators and Cornwall Council before we can publish and implement. Again this takes time. There may be some minor amends to services/timetables so we ask all passengers to check the timetables closely.
We will endeavour to publish timetables on our website and social media feeds as soon as we are able over this weekend. We expect to have everything available by Monday morning. Timetables at the bus stops will also be updated as soon as we can, however, again, we ask passengers to appreciate this is a lengthy process too. We will also try to have printed timetables in our travel shops early next week.
Please keep checking our Facebook and Twitter feeds for updates. A big thanks in advance to all our team who will be working extra this weekend to arrange these emergency services and timetables. First Group

Fleet News

First Kernow has taken 10 WG leased vehicles from Ensign 5 Dennis Dart MPD and 5 Optare Solos with further spare first stock from around the country also expected. So far identified as with First are Darts 201 NA52AWF 205 NA52AWN 206 NA52AWO all green, along with white KN52NFU. Optare Solo 956 WK56PEN , 817 WK55BUS. 914 PL06TFX, 816 K50WGH.
Other buses are being sourced from within First Group, but also a batch of ex Lothian Dennis Darts are coming from Ensign with SK52OKF being confirmed so far.


©Nick Rice (cc) - another superb shot from Nick!

Fares

Before Western Greyhound went under First Kernow introduced quite a few fare reductions across its network which happen to start this week:
We’re delighted to announce we’re lowering some more fares across Cornwall from Sunday 15 March 2015:
• Penzance – Gwavas: Adult single was £3, now £2. Adult return was £4.50, now £3.
• Helston – Breage: Adult single was £5 now £3. Adult return was £7.50, now £4.50.
• St Ives – St Erth Station: Adult single was £3, now £2. Adult return was £4.50, now £3.
• St Ives – Lelant: Adult single was £3, now £2. Adult return was £4.50, now £3.
• Redruth – Truro: Adult single was £5, now £4. Adult return was £7.50, now £6.
• Chacewater – Truro: Adult single was £4, now £3. Adult return was £6, now £4.50
• Truro Bus Station – Truro Railway Station: Adult single was £2 now £1. Adult return was £3, now £1.50.
• Zennor – St Ives: Adult single was £4, now £3. Adult return was £6, now £4.50.
• Penzance – Loggans Way: Adult single was £5, now £4. Adult return was £7.50, now £6.
• Penzance – Hayle Retail Park : Adult single was £5, now £4. Adult return was £7.50, now £6.
• Crowlas – Whitecross: Adult single was £3, now £2. Adult return was £4.50, now £3.
• Truro – Tresillian: Adult single was £3, now £2. Adult return was £4.50, now £3.
• Truro – St Austell: Adult single was £5, now £4. Adult return was £7.50, now £6
• Falmouth – Conway Road: Adult single was £3, now £2. Adult return was £4.50, now £3.
• Falmouth - Union Corner: Adult single was £3, now £2. Adult return was £4.50, now £3.
• Culdrose - Helston Sainsbury’s: Adult single was £3, now £2. Adult return was £4.50, now £3.
• Culdrose - Helston Tesco: Adult single was £3, now £2. Adult return was £4.50, now £3.
• Camborne – Tolvaddon: Adult single was £3, now £2. Adult return was £4.50, now £3.
• Troon – Camborne: Adult single was £3, now £2. Adult return was £4.50, now £3.
• Camborne – Pool Health Centre: Adult single was £3, now £2. Adult return was £4.50, now £3.
• Truro – Penryn: Adult single was £5, now £4. Adult return was £7.50, now £6.
• Newquay – Truro: Adult single was £4, now £3. Adult return was £6, now £4.50.
• Perran Sands – Perranporth: Adult single was £2, now £1. Adult return was £3, now £1.50.
In addition to the above reductions in fares, we are now introducing these transfer fares from 15 March:
• Across Truro from Newquay to Playing Place, Carnon Downs, Devoran, Penryn and Falmouth.
• Route 21: transfer fares are now available across St.Austell to The Eden Project, St.Blazey, Par, Fowey and Mevagissey.
• Route 24: transfer fare are now available to Newquay and Truro
• Route 27: transfer fares are now available from Truro to Fowey, Mevagissey and The Eden Project. (CJ)
Of course some saw this as another attack on Western Greyhound but to be fair to First many of these discounted fares are on routes which did not compete with WG.

Plymouth Citybus

Following the cessation of trading of Western Greyhound we will be running a new service between Liskeard and Padstow. From Monday 16th March a new route, service 75 (previously Western Greyhound route 555) will operate hourly between Liskeard and Padstow via Bodmin and Wadebridge. We will be accepting all existing Western Greyhound passes until the end of March. We are working on getting fares for this route on our ticket machines for Monday morning.  Please note all routes that were taken over to form Go Cornwall Bus on the just 3 months ago remain unchanged, but will now see the addition of service 75.
We have been working hard to see what help we can offer following the news on Friday 13th March that the route will no longer run following the cessation of Western Greyhound services, so would like to thank all staff involved to make sure services are still able to run. We will give more information when it becomes available to us. Initial Planned Timetable PDF

Fleet News

To help cover the additional work (along with other commitments coming up) Citybus have purchased several buses from Brighton with two Darts already prepared for the new 75 service. The remaining buses are Dennis Tridents, but these will remain in Plymouth which in turn will release more buses for the Go Cornwall network. Quite a few buses have had the new 75 service programmed on to their destination equipment so buses will be able to display their full destination from day one.

Stagecoach

Following Western Greyhound ceasing trading today we can confirm that, from Monday 16th March, we will be operating routes 584 (Wadebridge to Camelford) and 595 (Bude to Wadebridge). We will continue to operate the existing timetables and will accept all valid Western Greyhound season tickets. Stagecoach
There has been other stuff going on in Cornwall:

Group Travel

Service Cancellations Registered (VOSA 2nd March)

• PH1033087/6 - MOON & BENNEY LTD T/A GROUP TRAVEL, ENTERPRISE PARK, MIDWAY ROAD, BODMIN, PL31 2FQ Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Camelford and Trago Mills given service number 227 effective from 23-Apr-2015.
• PH1033087/9 - MOON & BENNEY LTD T/A GROUP TRAVEL, ENTERPRISE PARK, MIDWAY ROAD, BODMIN, PL31 2FQ Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Port Isaac and Trago Mills given service number 226 effective from 23-Apr-2015.

Royal Buses

New Timetable Service 2 16th March 2015

• PH1086607/13 - NICHOLAS COLIN EASTWOOD T/A Royal Buses, VICTORY HEIGHTS, THE BURROWS, ST. IVES, TR26 1GD Variation Accepted: Operating between St Ives, Trenwith Car Park and St Ives, Royal Square given service number 2 effective from 16-Mar-2015. To amend Timetable.
  

New Timetable (PDF)

 

St Ives Bus Company

New service 5 start 28 March:

• PH1053866/21 ST. IVES BUS CO. LTD, 4 ROSEWALL TERRACE, ST. IVES, TR26 1QJ Registration Accepted  Starting Point: St Ives, Royal Square  Finish Point: St Ives, Royal Square  Via: Trenwith Car Park, St Ives Rugby Club, Ayr Holiday Park  Service Number: 5 Service Type: Normal Stopping/Hail & Ride Effective Date: 28-MAR-2015 Other Details: Daily service from 28/3/2015 until 03/10/2015. Continuous registration starting from the Saturday of the school Easter holidays (or Good Friday if that is the start of the holiday) through to the first Sunday of October.

Timetable (pdf)

New Service 6 Starts 28 March 2015

• PH1053866/22 ST. IVES BUS CO. LTD, 4 ROSEWALL TERRACE, ST. IVES, TR26 1QJ Registration Accepted Starting Point: St Ives Rugby Club Finish Point: St Ives, Porthleor Beach Via: Ayr Holiday Park Service Number: 6 Service Type: Normal Stopping/Hail & Ride Effective Date: 28-MAR-2015 Other Details: Saturday 28 March 2015 to Sunday 12 April 2015. Saturday 23 May 2015 to Sunday 27 September 2015. Continuous registration for the school Easter holidays and from the Saturday before Spring Bank Holiday through to the last Sunday in September.
  

 Timetable (pdf)

 

Travel Cornwall

Service 402 Cancelled from 16th March 2015

• PH1011427/1 - SUMMERCOURT TRAVEL LTD T/A TRAVEL CORNWALL, THE OLD COACH GARAGE, ST. AUSTELL STREET, SUMMERCOURT, NEWQUAY, TR8 5DR Cancellation Accepted: Operating between SUMMERCOURT and REDRUTH  given service number 402 effective from 16-Mar-2015.
  

I guess this might be a tidy up exercise as I cant see any route 402 currently operating

Service 413 Cancelled from 16th March 2015

• PH1011427/16 - SUMMERCOURT TRAVEL LTD T/A TRAVEL CORNWALL, THE OLD COACH GARAGE, ST. AUSTELL STREET, SUMMERCOURT, NEWQUAY, TR8 5DR Cancellation Accepted: Operating between WADEBRIDGE and SUMMERCOURT given service number 413 effective from 16-Mar-2015.

Previous Timetable

Service Variations Registered 5th March

• PH1011427/51 - SUMMERCOURT TRAVEL LTD T/A TRAVEL CORNWALL, THE OLD COACH GARAGE, ST. AUSTELL STREET, SUMMERCOURT, NEWQUAY, TR8 5DR Cancellation Accepted: Operating between Summercourt and Bude given service number 460 effective from 04-May-2015.
• PH1011427/80 - SUMMERCOURT TRAVEL LTD T/A TRAVEL CORNWALL, THE OLD COACH GARAGE, ST. AUSTELL STREET, SUMMERCOURT, NEWQUAY, TR8 5DR
  Registration Accepted  Starting Point: Truro College Finish Point: Wadebridge A39/B3314 Via: Fraddon
  Service Number: 460A Service Type: Normal Stopping/Hail & Ride Effective Date: 04-MAY-2015 Other Details: Monday to Saturday
• PH1011427/79 - SUMMERCOURT TRAVEL LTD T/A TRAVEL CORNWALL, THE OLD COACH GARAGE, ST. AUSTELL STREET, SUMMERCOURT, NEWQUAY, TR8 5DR
  Registration Accepted Starting Point: Wadebridge A39/B3314 Finish Point: Bude, The Strand Via: Camelford
  Service Number: 460B Service Type: Normal Stopping/Hail & Ride Effective Date: 04-MAY-2015 Other Details: Monday to Saturday.

Well thats all for now, but as I mentioned above there will be a 6A later in the week we we can take a closer look at all of these new routes to replace WG.