I think in fairness Go are just a contractor and have enough to worry about at present, however the council that's made so much fuss about this change and has had so much money given to it both for this and the fare experiment (I'm assuming that's still happening as it's gone very quiet) appears now to have lost interest completely!
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@carlberry fare experiment apparently was starting for 4 years in May but as you say it’s gone very quiet.
Passengers don’t know what’s going on other than what first have confirmed in the timetable release today
Passengers don’t know what’s going on other than what first have confirmed in the timetable release today
It is all becoming a farce. The new FK timetable book online includes an interesting map of Cornwall's commercial bus services. However, it is calculated to confuse people who are not aware of GCB -- a lot of white (busless) roads now.
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FK's A5 no longer includes the airport, according to Kernow's book and (now) Traveline. Last minute changes are also confusing, as this late amendment has been given no publicity. The Go Cornwall 56 seems to have kept its Airport route, according to Traveline tonight. However, the A5 has gained three additional journeys, and now runs hourly from Newquay at 0905, except that the final 1805 leaves at 1835. This timetable also applies on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays. I am not sure that there have ever been ten buses a day between Newquay and Padstow on Sundays before -- not even in Western National days. PS The GCB 56 also has four Sunday journeys through to Padstow, making a grand total of 14. That really must be a record!
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(We being First Kernow)
1. We don’t actually know what PCB are operating - we are told they are still
Finalising registration changes
2. We offered to note in the book where PCB are running contracted journeys on our commercial routes but they didn’t confirm before the book had to go to print.
3. Cornwall Council are responsible for any information provision that covers all
Operators, not the commercial operator and certainly not at the commercial operator’s expense - indeed the CC all Operator app was promised over a year ago but hasn’t materialised.
Goldfish62
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Would've cost nothing to make a mention.
There is no info available to mention at time of print, endeavours were made to find the info and it wasn’t supplied, not a lot can be done when they don’t supply the info, other than at most “other routes operated by other companies” surely that’s common sense and doesn’t need a mention!
Busaholic
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It's absolutely essential imo that Cornwall Council get a printed timetable book out by Easter, even if it has to have late inserts. If they have to charge for it, so be it, though I think the government hand-out should be able to cover its cost.
Goldfish62
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Yes it does need a mention! Anyone picking up the book will, for example see nothing to St Just in the evenings or on Sundays. Most bus users have no idea what's going on in a couple of weeks time.
FK know damn well these journeys are being covered. It's not their fault it's all in chaos, but if they're serious about providing a public service they would at least have some mention in the book.
FK have attempted to obtain the info and not been supplied anything, citybus are still making variations and changes, so who’s to say those late services haven’t been scrapped for whatever reason.
Surely if GCB are serious about providing a public service they would have provided the information requested? What would you have had FK put in their timetable booklet... some other services may or may not be provided by another operator? I'm sure that would been a huge help to the average bus user.
Goldfish62
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Don't insult my intelligence. No mention of anything is unhelpful. If you're honestly saying nothing at all could have been mentioned in the book then I don't know where to begin.
I cant see what First could helpfully have put in there. Something like:
'The county council have arranged for some other services to run however they wont tell us what or when and we cant even give you an internet reference as they haven't provided that either. Good luck searching!'
The alternative is First hold up production of their timetable which means nothing is available.
As things stand @Westnat is correct.
As things stand “some service might be operated by someone else”
Goldfish62
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I give up.
You don’t seem to be getting the point here, as of now, there is no info of what routes they will and won’t be operating on out of FK hours.
As a side I’ve been tipped off GA hope to release their times next Thursday
I'm not insulting your intelligence, just questioning why you think putting a sentence in the FK book saying another company may or may not be operating additional services will be helpful.
I do wonder whether a simple reference to the URL for Traveline on the FK map pages might have helped a little? (I realise I am being wise after the event.)
To broaden the discussion, meanwhile, this present uncertainty was always a risk. When the dominant operator in an area becomes two operators, it is very easy for information to fall into the gap between them. The responsibility really rests with the tendering authority -- Cornwall Council -- which as we know has done very little to shed light on the situation.
However, CC must be constrained in turn by the continuing lack of firm GCB timetables. (Most have been on Traveline for some time, though, apart from the shy and retiring 93. The Airport-Truro service mentioned in January may have been kicked into the long grass for the time being until the Airport recovers.)
Why final confirmation of the GCB routes is running so late is another question. Have last-minute negotiations been taking place behind the scenes?
Goldfish62
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I'm not suggesting an unhelpful single sentence.
There could be a section at the start listing the services that FK is no longer running, stating that it is expected that GCB will operate replacements. Also noting that some services will be operated by GCB at certain times of day / week, adding that details were not available at time of going to press and to contact GCB or CC for details.
By mentioning nothing and expecting no one to query the service reductions they've created a millstone round their neck. While it's not FK's fault that there's a current mess they have a responsibility to their customers, most of whom will be completely unaware of the situation, as is obvious by Facebook comments.
the times on Traveline were only provisional and amendments have been made to those since.
From someone on the planning team at pcb CC keep changing their wish lists and requirements. We already know they are a nightmare to deal with.
It is true that the current Traveline timetables are not set in stone. As an example, I have already highlighted the most recent changes to FK's A5.
However, the present uncertainty is temporary (I hope) and in any case FK does not withdraw from its current network until 29 March. Within a few weeks Traveline should have settled down, and given that the life of this FK timetable book is indefinite, such a URL would surely have been better than nothing.
The phrase could have been: 'For details of other bus services in this area, please see https://www.travelinesw.com/'. Anything to soften the impact of all those white roads and apparently isolated communities!
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matt_splat
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i do wonder if the 93 replacement could involve the Newquay Airport registered 56's could you have a Newquay to Truro Service that runs Newquay - Newquay Airport and then as the current 93 route when it rejoins after the airport?
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
It’s only when you look at that map do you see the geographic extent of the losses to PCB.
The 93 will remain the same frequency under TfC and there is a new 90 service linking Truro rail to Newquay Airport
Attachments
Lizard1324
Member
Does it have any mention about college passes accepted on their services when a first kernow isnt provided anymore
No it doesn't mention that in the book, but it does have a page on existing tickets
Attachments
The Transport for Cornwall website is now live:
http://www.transportforcornwall.co.uk/
http://www.transportforcornwall.co.uk/
-Colly405-
Member
So is TfC the brand just for the GoAhead bus routes? Elsewhere in the country the Transport for [insert name of local area here] brand is used to cover all services, isn't it?