In a peninsula like Cornwall, there will always be challenges to building resilient public transport infrastructure. However, some good progress has been made in the last few years. We have invested to improve our railways and there is now a regular half hourly service running through Cornwall which has led to a significant increase in passenger numbers
In the past, I have written about the plans to introduce Britain’s first SuperBus network here in Cornwall. The network was part of the government’s plans to reverse the impacts of dwindling services in local towns and drive forward a bus revolution that will improve access for everyone.
The pioneering investment will direct support towards more frequent public transport in the countryside, introducing new apps that will improve the information available to commuters whilst also ensuring that the bus fleets will be cleaner, more environmentally friendly, and better integrated with our train network.
In March of 2021, the Government published the new Bus Back Better plan. This was a post-pandemic National bus strategy that set out how we would fundamentally overall our transport system with a view to making it more accessible. As part of this announcement, Cornwall was awarded £23.5 million to develop and launch a Bus Service Improvement Plan for the county.
From next Monday, 11th April, Cornwall Council will be launching a new pilot under the Bus Service Improvement Plan called ‘Make Big Savings by Bus’. This new scheme will fundamentally change the fare structure of buses in Cornwall, saving the average consumer up to 1/3 on the cost of their journey. For instance, a journey between Camborne and Redruth, or a ‘short-hop fare’ will be reduced by up to 20%, while a longer journey, such as Camborne to Truro will see a reduction of around 40% in some cases.
Furthermore, the Transport Portfolio holder, Cllr Phillip Desmond, and his team have been working hard with all the bus companies across Cornwall over the last 6 months to create a new day pass for unlimited travel across Cornwall that works on any bus service. This new pass will cost just £5 a day or £20 a week and allow for limitless travel on the bus network across the Duchy.
In addition to this new bus pilot, this week the Secretary of State for Transport has announced a further £13.3 million for Cornwall to expand services, which is part of a wider £7 billion package to help improve public transport outside of London. It aims to make buses more reliable and greener.
Since being elected, I have prioritised economic regeneration and green recovery. Investing in and improving the public transport system for Cornwall is a significant step forward in ensuring that our local communities are supported and connected. These announcements should encourage more people to use our growing bus network, supporting both businesses and residents alike, and driving regeneration across the whole Camborne and Redruth area.
See here for more information: https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/media/xojf2whr/tfc-bus-service-improvement-…;
