First South West (Kernow & Buses of Somerset)

[richw]

The post I shared, confirms printed timetables available soon which implies this is a longer standing timetable

 

[83G/84D]

Good news, some of my older neighbours and relatives will be glad to know that as they do not use computers or mobile phones.

 

[Goldfish62]

That is really good, didn't expect to see service increases on that scale for a good while, even has a summer timetable feel to it

I'd describe it as a slightly reduced Winter timetable.

 

[MB162435]

I'd describe it as a slightly reduced Winter timetable.

True, although don't think anyone expected to see the likes of the L1 and A3 to return anytime soon, what we got in this timetable is what we got for the foreseeable future I would think

 

[Goldfish62]

True, although don't think anyone expected to see the likes of the L1 and A3 to return anytime soon, what we got in this timetable is what we got for the foreseeable future I would think

I was thinking more in terms of last journeys not running and the reduced T1/T2 and U3 as compared to the normal Winter timetable.

 

[richw]

True, although don't think anyone expected to see the likes of the L1 and A3 to return anytime soon, what we got in this timetable is what we got for the foreseeable future I would think

Covid funding is based on commercial 2019. It doesn’t cover new routes so don’t expect the (new) L1 Whilst we are still ongoing with covid

 

[MB162435]

I was thinking more in terms of last journeys not running and the reduced T1/T2 and U3 as compared to the normal Winter timetable.

Believe the U3 was meant to finish on the 12th June anyway, but certainly the T1/T2

 

[MB162435]

Covid funding is based on commercial 2019. It doesn’t cover new routes so don’t expect the (new) L1 Whilst we are still ongoing with covid

The TfC provision would be adequate for the amount of passengers around The Lizard at the moment, also by running services such as the L1 and A3, Kernow could risk accidentally encouraging leisure travel

 

[richw]

also by running services such as the L1 and A3, Kernow could risk accidentally encouraging leisure travel

Agree. Pretty sure government don’t want to see tourist routes.
The Rail River Link won’t be running their open tops until April 2021 in Torbay now.

 

[Lizard1324]

The TfC provision would be adequate for the amount of passengers around The Lizard at the moment, also by running services such as the L1 and A3, Kernow could risk accidentally encouraging leisure travel

The lizard at the moment is very dead no tourist or locals really taking the bus and they are nearly always empty, do miss seeing a kernow bus in the village.
Will have to wait till college buses return will be fun seeing 3 buses going from the lizard to helston every morning trying to squeeze past each other

 

[MB162435]

Agree. Pretty sure government don’t want to see tourist routes.
The Rail River Link won’t be running their open tops until April 2021 in Torbay now.

Wouldn't operator's have to run tourist routes commercially without any government support, given that they are hardly vital routes

Have Kernow's open tops been put back into store or just hot spare?

 

[MB162435]

The lizard at the moment is very dead no tourist or locals really taking the bus and they are nearly always empty, do miss seeing a kernow bus in the village.
Will have to wait till college buses return will be fun seeing 3 buses going from the lizard to helston every morning trying to squeeze past each other

Wouldn't be good use of resources or money by increasing service provisions on The Lizard any further, best to focus on the core routes during the pandemic, a typical summer season would be a completely different different story

Will be interesting to see how the college buses are operated when they start again, won't be an easy task for any operator

 

[Goldfish62]

The TfC provision would be adequate for the amount of passengers around The Lizard at the moment, also by running services such as the L1 and A3, Kernow could risk accidentally encouraging leisure travel

Although the A3 provides a socially necessary service, which is covered in the winter by the 7 (which also ran all year until the recent tender round). Currently there's no link between Sennen and St Just or Zennor and St Just.

I have to say I don't understand why CC hasn't introduced a summer service on the 7 to cover this.

 

[MB162435]

Although the A3 provides a socially necessary service, which is covered in the winter by the 7 (which also ran all year until the recent tender round). Currently there's no link between Sennen and St Just or Zennor and St Just.

I have to say I don't understand why CC hasn't introduced a summer service on the 7 to cover this.

Even one or two trips a day would be something, easier to extend a route for a bit, who runs the 7 these days?

 

[richw]

Wouldn't operator's have to run tourist routes commercially without any government support, given that they are hardly vital routes

Have Kernow's open tops been put back into store or just hot spare?

Entire fleet not in service are on hot store

 

[GBM]

Even one or two trips a day would be something, easier to extend a route for a bit, who runs the 7 these days?

Well, a very interesting question.
2019 it was West Penwith Community Bus Association.
As it's a subsidised service, it merged into the TfC contract, so appears in their index of routes.
However, they have said it's not one of their runs.
I asked the Council who indicated it's an A3 run.
It seems no one want to admit owning the 7!

 

[richw]

Well, a very interesting question.
2019 it was West Penwith Community Bus Association.
As it's a subsidised service, it merged into the TfC contract, so appears in their index of routes.
However, they have said it's not one of their runs.
I asked the Council who indicated it's an A3 run.
It seems no one want to admit owning the 7!

Possibly a seasonal subsidy?
There was some other journeys marked certain winter dates only on another route from memory?

 

[Goldfish62]

Possibly a seasonal subsidy?
There was some other journeys marked certain winter dates only on another route from memory?

It was initially registered and then deregistered when FK intended to start the A3 early. In any case, supported services aren't fixed in tablets of stone for the duration of the contracts. The council can step in at any time to change a service, as they should do now.

 

[Goldfish62]

Even one or two trips a day would be something, easier to extend a route for a bit, who runs the 7 these days?

It's a TfC service. It was going to continue on in March from the previous contract, but was then deregistered when FK intended to start the A3 early. As it stands without any further intervention from the council the 7 won't start until September.

It's currently the first time for decades that the various communities along the north Penwith coast haven't been linked by a bus service.

 

[GBM]

It's a TfC service. It was going to continue on in March from the previous contract, but was then deregistered when FK intended to start the A3 early. As it stands without any further intervention from the council the 7 won't start until September.

It's currently the first time for decades that the various communities along the north Penwith coast haven't been linked by a bus service.

The 7 is also a surgery/shopping run for those between Sennen and St Just; also provides a quicker run into Penzance via St Just, rather than the A1

 

[Goldfish62]

The 7 is also a surgery/shopping run for those between Sennen and St Just; also provides a quicker run into Penzance via St Just, rather than the A1

You've hit the nail on the head. I think it's somewhat more important than providing evening services to hamlets that have never had them before.

 

[MB162435]

Entire fleet not in service are on hot store

Good idea, with plans changing seemingly week by week they could start open top routes at some point, guessing the all year open top on the A1 plan still remains, they make handy staff taxi's if not

 

[Goldfish62]

Given the government's very successful campaign of scaring people off public transport I can see a significant number never returning.

I certainly wouldn't be surprised if we never see the return of the hourly A1/2/3 circuit. Maybe I'm being overly pessimistic, but I'd imagine future Summer service levels being around what we're getting from next week, perhaps with a couple of return journeys on the A3, with Winter being reduced frequencies across the board and no evening or Sunday services.

 

[MB162435]

Well, a very interesting question.
2019 it was West Penwith Community Bus Association.
As it's a subsidised service, it merged into the TfC contract, so appears in their index of routes.
However, they have said it's not one of their runs.
I asked the Council who indicated it's an A3 run.
It seems no one want to admit owning the 7!

Ah right, hadn't seen it in any lists but thought it had to be TfC given that they got the council work

Shame that the 7 is becoming that ugly duckling route that nobody really wants, when the A3 is running its understandable, but the likelihood that the A3 will be running this year is pretty low, and it is a route you don't have any alternatives, so they should really make it a prime focus and bring back the 7 ASAP even if it's a out and back service for a bit

 

[MB162435]

It's a TfC service. It was going to continue on in March from the previous contract, but was then deregistered when FK intended to start the A3 early. As it stands without any further intervention from the council the 7 won't start until September.

It's currently the first time for decades that the various communities along the north Penwith coast haven't been linked by a bus service.

During times such as this, routes such as the 7 couldn't be any more important, after being stuck at home for nearly 3 months people need to try and get back to a near normal routine, and not even trying to run the 7 in some sort of way isn't very good, it's been clear for ages that the A3 isn't coming back any time soon, if at all this year

It might not be a high profile route but all communities need something especially now, anything is better than nothing like they have now

 

[MB162435]

Given the government's very successful campaign of scaring people off public transport I can see a significant number never returning.

I certainly wouldn't be surprised if we never see the return of the hourly A1/2/3 circuit. Maybe I'm being overly pessimistic, but I'd imagine future Summer service levels being around what we're getting from next week, perhaps with a couple of return journeys on the A3, with Winter being reduced frequencies across the board and no evening or Sunday services.

Especially if social distancing goes far into next year, Visit Cornwall said its going to take a year maybe even two to get to previous visitor numbers, not good timing for Kernow who were going to launch the biggest number of open top routes they have ever done and the A1-A3 were running for longer then before

Hopefully the tourist routes not just for Kernow but for all operators won't suffer too much and can bounce back again

 

[richw]

33176 has gained giant Yellow square school bus symbols. Seen this afternoon on a TH051 whatever that is

 

[83G/84D]

33176 has gained giant Yellow square school bus symbols. Seen this afternoon on a TH051 whatever that is

That was in Vamooz colours, have the school bus symbols just been added to it?

 

[richw]

That was in Vamooz colours, have the school bus symbols just been added to it?

Still Vamooz with the yellow symbols added

 

[Yarp1]

Good idea, with plans changing seemingly week by week they could start open top routes at some point, guessing the all year open top on the A1 plan still remains, they make handy staff taxi's if not

Cant swear on it and to be honest I am not so familiar with the routes down west but i do believe the tree lopper decker is down doing the A1 route for the next 3 days (wed,thurs,fri) for deckers or open toppers I dont know. The tree lopper finished off its work on the A5 yesterday (tues) and today trident 33172 is working the A5 mainly for the school run bits it does and e200 still on the other A5 working