In what has to be said is a low key announcement hidden within their web site Go South West are about to launce their first commercial service in Cornwall:
Today marked the first community event we have attended since Transport for Cornwall was formed back in March. Usually at this time of the year we are in full swing attending many community engagement events, however due to Covid-19 our wings have been clipped. We will be introducing our first commercial service due to begin on the 17th August and this felt like the right time to get out and say hello. The service 2 will be operating between Penzance Bus Station and Praa Sands and will offer a regular service throughout the day, Monday to Friday all year round.
There will also be additional services to Praa Sands in the form of the U4.
Except it’s not their first commercial service. The 56 is commercial already. Not eligible for subsidy due to first kernows A5...
ReplyDeleteThere is also question marks over the 93 as it covers more than the 80% of the first 91 route.
Praa Sands. Wow. Kernow came out because it carried next to no one and spent hours trying to pass caravans and car drivers who can’t reverse. The commercial acumen of PCB knows no bounds.
ReplyDeleteYou’d think they might try running the 22 50 amd 87 properly first... or even managing to fuel their contract buses instead of the daily toll of buses running out at roadside.
It's quite clearly a fill-in turn between the college runs, so costs are marginal in term time.
DeleteThink they will have problems in Cornwall folk are very loyal to FK
ReplyDeleteI think PCB have got a cheak here. They need to get the mess that is there subsidised network running properly first. I reckon they will be out of this at earliest opportunity and First will be back running these routes. Stagecoach should be watching Plymouth carefully too
ReplyDeleteI don'r share your pessimism/optimism (I'm not sure which it is). Go-Ahead won a competitive tendering process and are committed to making Transport for Cornwall work.
DeleteMore anonymous contributors with nothing good to say about Plymouth Citybus or Go Ahead. They have invested more in Plymouth than First and Stagecoach put together. They try to maintain a local identity and appear to respond to network or time table criticism from passenger feedback. They deserve some credit!
ReplyDeleteTrue PCB have bought shiny new buses. On the ground they are inept; agency drivers who don't know routes and couldn't care less. Buses running out of fuel.
DeleteLets be frank; COVID19 has saved PCB and Go ahead from a complete disaster. Still a mess. Cornwall Council couldn't run a bath so why they thought giving the whole contract to an operator that had little/no presence in most of the county was a good idea is beyond most people.
As for local, forget it. Newcastle pulls the strings in Go Ahead, just as Aberdeen does in First and Perth does in Stagecoach.
First are advertising for bus drivers for college routes in Plymouth based at The Ride!
ReplyDelete