Post by gwiwer on Mar 11, 2024 14:47:25 GMT
Created to record changes west of the Tamar or for routes crossing it in order to keep them out of the South Devon thread where they don't belong.
From 31st March
A mix of Transport for Cornwall contractual changes and commercial alterations sees some of the seasonal services coming back, some routes linked and one or two non-returns.
www.gocornwallbus.co.uk/tfc-update-31st-march
In short the 27 St. Austell - Truro is linked with the T1 Truro - Penzance (alternate journeys) to create a lengthy route down the spine of mid and western Cornwall. This almost replicates the old Western National route 18 of many years ago which was cut across Truro to improve reliability.
The 91 Newquay - Truro is linked with the T2 Truro - St. Ives (alternate journeys) to create another very long route surely not aimed at throughout journeys as it will take around 3 hours end to end.
The U1 / U1A are re-linked across Truro to form the Falmouth - Newquay service which has been bisected during major roadworks; those are not finished.
The reliability of such long routes begs questions. Already the T1 / T2 are often delayed by 30 - 60 minutes creating bunching after lengthy gaps. Alternate T1 / T2 journeys continue to start / finish at Truro.
A small number of journeys will run St. Ives - Hayle Towans - Gwithian as T2A which ran as the Sunseeker in recent years so this is effectively a re-numbering and likely no longer an open-top service.
The Lands End Coaster will resume its full circular route Penzance - Lands End - St. Ives - Penzance running each way every 90 minutes during the Easter holidays, every 120 minutes thence until late May holiday then every hour (planned) as usual for high summer. This will replace the "temporary" winter-only service 7. The Atlantic Coaster Newquay - Padstow will also re-start operating at similar headways on the same dates. the Falmouth Coaster which tours the beaches and Pendennis Point will not run in 2024.
The Tin Coaster Penzance - St Just - Pendeen will be linked across Penzance to the 17 St. Ives service as has been done before but again suffered from unreliability. The Pendeen leg was previously split off after many protests about the lack of service on that section. This route resumes its old LOR via Heamoor rather than via Alverton.
The Mousehole route has found its new minibuses far too small and has seen operation by Solos and even 'deckers through the winter. Deckers cannot enter the village which itself causes issues. The Mousehole route itself will revert to a 20-minute headway with all buses through Alverton vice 15-minutes with alternate buses through Alverton / via the Promenade. PVR remains at 3. To improve capacity in peak season a new supplementary route to be known as The Cat (because it 'chases the Mouse.....") will be deckers operating direct along the Promenade hourly and turning at the Old Coastguard Hotel outside the village.
Other changes are a swap of LORs between Castle Dore and Polmear for the Fowey - St. Austell routes, the usual re-introduction of Sunday service on the 95 Bude - Boscastle - Tintagel - Wadebridge and as usual for Sundays diverting via Port Isaac, and a few minor changes to the small-village weekly shopper services in the area east of Liskeard / west of Saltash.
From 31st March
A mix of Transport for Cornwall contractual changes and commercial alterations sees some of the seasonal services coming back, some routes linked and one or two non-returns.
www.gocornwallbus.co.uk/tfc-update-31st-march
In short the 27 St. Austell - Truro is linked with the T1 Truro - Penzance (alternate journeys) to create a lengthy route down the spine of mid and western Cornwall. This almost replicates the old Western National route 18 of many years ago which was cut across Truro to improve reliability.
The 91 Newquay - Truro is linked with the T2 Truro - St. Ives (alternate journeys) to create another very long route surely not aimed at throughout journeys as it will take around 3 hours end to end.
The U1 / U1A are re-linked across Truro to form the Falmouth - Newquay service which has been bisected during major roadworks; those are not finished.
The reliability of such long routes begs questions. Already the T1 / T2 are often delayed by 30 - 60 minutes creating bunching after lengthy gaps. Alternate T1 / T2 journeys continue to start / finish at Truro.
A small number of journeys will run St. Ives - Hayle Towans - Gwithian as T2A which ran as the Sunseeker in recent years so this is effectively a re-numbering and likely no longer an open-top service.
The Lands End Coaster will resume its full circular route Penzance - Lands End - St. Ives - Penzance running each way every 90 minutes during the Easter holidays, every 120 minutes thence until late May holiday then every hour (planned) as usual for high summer. This will replace the "temporary" winter-only service 7. The Atlantic Coaster Newquay - Padstow will also re-start operating at similar headways on the same dates. the Falmouth Coaster which tours the beaches and Pendennis Point will not run in 2024.
The Tin Coaster Penzance - St Just - Pendeen will be linked across Penzance to the 17 St. Ives service as has been done before but again suffered from unreliability. The Pendeen leg was previously split off after many protests about the lack of service on that section. This route resumes its old LOR via Heamoor rather than via Alverton.
The Mousehole route has found its new minibuses far too small and has seen operation by Solos and even 'deckers through the winter. Deckers cannot enter the village which itself causes issues. The Mousehole route itself will revert to a 20-minute headway with all buses through Alverton vice 15-minutes with alternate buses through Alverton / via the Promenade. PVR remains at 3. To improve capacity in peak season a new supplementary route to be known as The Cat (because it 'chases the Mouse.....") will be deckers operating direct along the Promenade hourly and turning at the Old Coastguard Hotel outside the village.
Other changes are a swap of LORs between Castle Dore and Polmear for the Fowey - St. Austell routes, the usual re-introduction of Sunday service on the 95 Bude - Boscastle - Tintagel - Wadebridge and as usual for Sundays diverting via Port Isaac, and a few minor changes to the small-village weekly shopper services in the area east of Liskeard / west of Saltash.