Go Cornwall Bus

Jamesbus80 · 3 Aug 2020

There is a Go South Coast logo that is not used on the buses further up the coast. I wonder if, in time, buses will be registered to Go South West as the company name, rather than Plymouth Citybus, with Plymouth Citybus and Go Cornwall Bus just brands - a little like BlueStar and Southern Vectis are now, effectively, just brands than companies.

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carlberry · 3 Aug 2020

Jamesbus80 said:
There is a Go South Coast logo that is not used on the buses further up the coast. I wonder if, in time, buses will be registered to Go South West as the company name, rather than Plymouth Citybus, with Plymouth Citybus and Go Cornwall Bus just brands - a little like BlueStar and Southern Vectis are now, effectively, just brands than companies.

It will be easier this time as there's just one company, they just have to rename that one and change the company name on the licence. With Go South Coast I think they spent 90% of their marketing budget on all the new service applications they had to make to transfer from the other licnces onto the new 'super licence'!

richw · 3 Aug 2020

TheGrandWazoo said:
Those are the published financial results and relate to operating profit. You'll be able to highlight the appropriate figures to substantiate those assertions?

A full breakdown of incomes isn’t available. One of the major income sources was cash injections from Go ahead group.

richw · 3 Aug 2020

carlberry said:
I dont understand what the point is! If both operations have a design (one in house and one forced by contract) then what use is another design?

Says the new brand will cover commercial operations. Are there even that many of them?

TheGrandWazoo · 3 Aug 2020

richw said:
A full breakdown of incomes isn’t available. One of the major income sources was cash injections from Go ahead group.

So they funnelled millions into PCB to record an operating profit on which they then had to pay tax....

MB162435 · 3 Aug 2020

carlberry said:
I dont understand what the point is! If both operations have a design (one in house and one forced by contract) then what use is another design?

TheGrandWazoo said:
Also, what's the actual point of tweeting this. It's an administrative exercise and of limited if not no interest to the general public

Suppose it is just getting the brand known, just in case it is used in the future in contracts maybe, and also to show an independent side of the company that isn't completely at the mercy of the council

MB162435 · 3 Aug 2020

richw said:
Says the new brand will cover commercial operations. Are there even that many of them?

Just Callywith isn't it, but they're looking long term probably

Like with Kernow when they lost the council work, they will need something for their drivers to avoid redundancies if they aren't successful in 8 years time

TheGrandWazoo · 3 Aug 2020

MB162435 said:
Just Callywith isn't it, but they're looking long term probably

Like with Kernow when they lost the council work, they will need something for their drivers to avoid redundancies if they aren't successful in 8 years time

Also, in the meantime, it might be perfectly possible that they will wish to introduce commercial services? However, I doubt we'll see a North Devon scenario.

MB162435 · 3 Aug 2020

TheGrandWazoo said:
Also, in the meantime, it might be perfectly possible that they will wish to introduce commercial services? However, I doubt we'll see a North Devon scenario.

Hearing from some of the drivers on Facebook they are intending to, where and when I don't think even they know yet, but hopefully it will be on routes that do need it not just for the sake of it like on some routes at the moment

Rich McLean · 3 Aug 2020

richw said:
Says the new brand will cover commercial operations. Are there even that many of them?

Just the workshop service centre at Milehouse I think now that the Coach Operation is no more.

farwest · 3 Aug 2020

At the start of the year Central and west Cornwall had a comprehensive timetable except for the independents. There were M tickets you could use on all these services at a sensible price. More and more new buses had arrived with WiFi and USB points and passenger information displays. Even greatly improved vehicle liveries had been introduced. Now most trips require two companies which makes bus travel too expensive and the latest TFC vehicles do not have any modern facilities. At Redruth station the other day a woman with a young child and pushchair was going to Bodmin and changing vehicles. She tried to get on a Tinner to Truro but could not with a TFC ticket. This meant she had to get on a 46 to Truro which takes 59 minutes on a very roundabout route not designed for an end to end service. Before this Cornwall Council contract this would have been a simple journey. Unless the Council can come up with a sensibly priced all company ticket I think the bus usage in Cornwall is going to very rapidly decline. We have certainly gone backwards in a big way.

TheGrandWazoo · 3 Aug 2020

MB162435 said:
Hearing from some of the drivers on Facebook they are intending to, where and when I don't think even they know yet, but hopefully it will be on routes that do need it not just for the sake of it like on some routes at the moment

Given that they can't manage what they HAVE to provide, I wouldn't expect anything for a long while.

farwest said:
At the start of the year Central and west Cornwall had a comprehensive timetable except for the independents. There were M tickets you could use on all these services at a sensible price. More and more new buses had arrived with WiFi and USB points and passenger information displays. Even greatly improved vehicle liveries had been introduced. Now most trips require two companies which makes bus travel too expensive and the latest TFC vehicles do not have any modern facilities. At Redruth station the other day a woman with a young child and pushchair was going to Bodmin and changing vehicles. She tried to get on a Tinner to Truro but could not with a TFC ticket. This meant she had to get on a 46 to Truro which takes 59 minutes on a very roundabout route not designed for an end to end service. Before this Cornwall Council contract this would have been a simple journey. Unless the Council can come up with a sensibly priced all company ticket I think the bus usage in Cornwall is going to very rapidly decline. We have certainly gone backwards in a big way.

In terms of the vehicles, we have to remember that there were still plenty of older FK vehicles, in terms of e200s, Solos and Tridents. So the routes that TfC now run weren't fully operated with vehicles with the modern facilities etc and it should be hoped that the new bespoke vehicles will be to a high level of internal finish.

However, you're absolutely right about the issue of ticketing and publicity. CC have been naive or arrogant, depending on your view, in that they expected this new network to appear in the timescale. The issue of ticketing.... was it even considered? There are enough counties/areas that have managed to introduce a countywide ticket (e.g. across the Tamar) for buses so it's not beyond the wit of man.

Publicity...if it's not a condition of the tender package, what did they (CC) think would happen?

richw · 3 Aug 2020

TheGrandWazoo said:
Publicity...if it's not a condition of the tender package, what did they (CC) think would happen?

we’ve got 2 extremes, non existent, and plentiful.
FK use Best Impressions for much of the roadside marketing and leaflets, personally I’d say money well spent.

MB162435 · 3 Aug 2020

TheGrandWazoo said:
Given that they can't manage what they HAVE to provide, I wouldn't expect anything for a long while.

I agree, until they're in a respectable position with the Council work if that ever does happen, they would be pretty foolish to try and attempt anything more, so yes won't be for a long time yet definitely

TheGrandWazoo · 3 Aug 2020

richw said:
we’ve got 2 extremes, non existent, and plentiful.
FK use Best Impressions for much of the roadside marketing and leaflets, personally I’d say money well spent.

Best Impressions are good and the work they’ve done for FK is superb. Of course, they also did a lot for Go Ahead (for AC/MMH) and I thought it was a backward step when PCB dropped their BI livery/input.

laira 2 · 3 Aug 2020

farwest said:
At Redruth station the other day a woman with a young child and pushchair was going to Bodmin and changing vehicles. She tried to get on a Tinner to Truro but could not with a TFC ticket. This meant she had to get on a 46 to Truro which takes 59 minutes on a very roundabout route not designed for an end to end service. Before this Cornwall Council contract this would have been a simple journey. Unless the Council can come up with a sensibly priced all company ticket I think the bus usage in Cornwall is going to very rapidly decline. We have certainly gone backwards in a big way.

How is this journey not an improvement? Before March 29 T1/2 to Truro 30 mins service 27 1hr 50mins total time 2hrs 20mins. Now service 46 Redruth to Truro 60mins Service 89 Truro to Bodmin 70mins total time 2hrs 10mins. If time was a factor on this journey surely 50mins on the train to Bodmin Parkway and 15 mins on a bus into Bodmin would be the correct route. CC launched this improvement saying buses were to meet the new improved train service to improve journey times in Cornwall.

Goldfish62 · 4 Aug 2020

TheGrandWazoo said:
Given that they can't manage what they HAVE to provide, I wouldn't expect anything for a long while.

In terms of the vehicles, we have to remember that there were still plenty of older FK vehicles, in terms of e200s, Solos and Tridents. So the routes that TfC now run weren't fully operated with vehicles with the modern facilities etc and it should be hoped that the new bespoke vehicles will be to a high level of internal finish.

Yes, it has to be remembered that apart from the T1 and (sometimes) the U4 the new vehicle revolution didn't reach Penzance. Services were mostly in the hands of knackered Solos and Barbie liveried Tridents. Even the AC liveried SRs were spirited off to the 46/47 much of the time.

I'd rather have that situation than what's there now though.

Yarp1 · 4 Aug 2020

It has been noticed this morning that between truro bus station and treliske latby that FK flags have been removed and new TFC flags put up. Would have thought it more important that TFC put up timetables rather than remove and replace bus stop flags!! Not everybody has a timetable in their pocket or phone app to see when the next bus is !

carlberry · 4 Aug 2020

Yarp1 said:
It has been noticed this morning that between truro bus station and treliske latby that FK flags have been removed and new TFC flags put up. Would have thought it more important that TFC put up timetables rather than remove and replace bus stop flags!! Not everybody has a timetable in their pocket or phone app to see when the next bus is !

Timetables need updating all the time and are only seen by bus passengers whereas new stop logos are a one off cost and everybody who drives past can see what an excellent job their council are doing.

Goldfish62 · 4 Aug 2020

Yarp1 said:
It has been noticed this morning that between truro bus station and treliske latby that FK flags have been removed and new TFC flags put up. Would have thought it more important that TFC put up timetables rather than remove and replace bus stop flags!! Not everybody has a timetable in their pocket or phone app to see when the next bus is !

Yes, providing bus stop timetables is one of the key fundamentals of any half-respectable bus operation. The flags should be done to provide a professional "shop window" (FK isn't great in this respect either), but timetables are the priority!

MB162435 · 4 Aug 2020

Goldfish62 said:
Yes, providing bus stop timetables is one of the key fundamentals of any half-respectable bus operation. The flags should be done to provide a professional "shop window" (FK isn't great in this respect either), but timetables are the priority!

I agree timetables should be the main area of focus for TfC

No operator has been perfect with bus stop signs, Perranwell Station still has a Truronian sign for example

richw · 4 Aug 2020

MB162435 said:
I agree timetables should be the main area of focus for TfC

No operator has been perfect with bus stop signs, Perranwell Station still has a Truronian sign for example

There is a western greyhound flag outside my house, pcb took over operating past here in December 2014!

Goldfish62 · 4 Aug 2020

MB162435 said:
I agree timetables should be the main area of focus for TfC

No operator has been perfect with bus stop signs, Perranwell Station still has a Truronian sign for example

At Newlyn Bridge there's an old style First one with an "open top 1/1A" sticker on it!

MB162435 · 4 Aug 2020

richw said:
There is a western greyhound flag outside my house, pcb took over operating past here in December 2014!

Nick it, could make a few quid!

Doesn't give a good impression, when bus stops become museum exhibits

MB162435 · 4 Aug 2020

Goldfish62 said:
At Newlyn Bridge there's an old style First one with an "open top 1/1A" sticker on it!

Wow thought they had all been replaced with Atlantic Coaster ones, not like Newlyn is miles out or has an irregular service either

Falmouth Moor still had posters advertising the introduction of the U1/U2 until last year, just in case people weren't aware the 88/41 have gone!

Goldfish62 · 4 Aug 2020

MB162435 said:
Wow thought they had all been replaced with Atlantic Coaster ones, not like Newlyn is miles out or has an irregular service either

There's a fair few that have been missed in the area.

Goldfish62 · 4 Aug 2020

Who actually owns the stops in Cornwall? I assume the Trueform ones installed a few years ago along key corridors are council owned, but I'd assumed all other flags and timetable frames are operator-owned.

berneyarms · 4 Aug 2020

richw said:
A full breakdown of incomes isn’t available. One of the major income sources was cash injections from Go ahead group.

Some basic accounting lessons are needed here.

Cash injections from a parent company are NOT income and form no part of a company’s Profit & Loss Account.

They are treated as additional share capital or a loan on the Balance Sheet.

Nothing to do with the company making a profit or a loss, but additional cash on the balance sheet.

laira 2 · 5 Aug 2020

Yarp1 said:
It has been noticed this morning that between truro bus station and treliske latby that FK flags have been removed and new TFC flags put up. Would have thought it more important that TFC put up timetables rather than remove and replace bus stop flags!! Not everybody has a timetable in their pocket or phone app to see when the next bus is !

Timetable booklets available on 2415 working the 11 into Plymouth this afternoon

baza585 · 5 Aug 2020

berneyarms said:
Some basic accounting lessons are needed here.

Cash injections from a parent company are NOT income and form no part of a company’s Profit & Loss Account.

They are treated as additional share capital or a loan on the Balance Sheet.

Nothing to do with the company making a profit or a loss, but additional cash on the balance sheet.

All true, but it is also true today that there is considerable scope to allocate Group level expenses between subsidiaries so as to massage the level of reported profits. Not saying that this happened in the case of PCB, but it would be difficult to spot if it were.

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