Go Cornwall Bus

[Busaholic]

Absolutely. WGL used to do an excellent job with connections all round the Penwith peninsula.

Much missed.

 

[Goldfish62]

14 electric buses are coming to Cornwall next year with funding from the DfT Zebra 2.

Allocation is to be 6 for routes 70/A/B, 7 for Truro P&R and 1 for Falmouth town route 60.

Cornwall ‘amps up’ on climate ambitions as funding announced for county’s first electric buses

The entire Truro Park & Ride fleet will be replaced with electric buses and there will also be a new electric bus for the Falmouth Town Service and a further six electric buses in south-east Cornwall

www.cornwall.gov.uk

Cornwall’s first electric buses will take to our streets next year, helping to cut carbon emissions and improve air quality.

The Council has successfully bid for funding from the Department for Transport ZEBRA 2 fund to replace the entire Truro Park & Ride fleet with electric buses and provide a new electric bus for the Falmouth Town Service.

A further six electric buses are set to be introduced in south-east Cornwall as part of a bid led by Plymouth City Council and Plymouth CityBus/Go Cornwall Bus in partnership with Cornwall Council. These buses will run on the 70/A/B routes around Torpoint and the Rame Peninsula.

Richard Williams-Pears, Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for transport, said:

“As we continue to invest in giving residents choices for more sustainable ways to travel around Cornwall, our public transport system should reflect our commitment to reducing carbon emissions.

“Our Transport for Cornwall fleet is already one of the youngest in the country with low-emission buses connecting communities throughout Cornwall. Working with our operators we want to continue to drive down our carbon emissions and this funding from the Department for Transport enables work to begin on the next phase, replacing diesel with electric.”

The Department for Transport has awarded £1.3m towards the infrastructure and buses for the Truro Park & Ride and Falmouth town service with the Council committing a £1.95m. Bus operator OTS and Falmouth Town Council have also supported the bid to bring an electric bus to the town, committing £105,000 and £5,000 respectively to the project.

Craig George, bus services manager at OTS, said;

“We are honoured to have been invited to take part in the significant ZEBRA 2 funding bid by Cornwall Council. Our services are at the heart of the community and it is most fitting that we will bring an electric bus to our service 60, which has stops in the very heart of Falmouth. This will be a tangible improvement for not just our passengers but also anyone who works, shops and holidays in our beautiful town. Whilst we have always invested in the lowest emission buses, we have long held the ambition of bringing a zero-emission bus to this route and thanks to our pioneering partnership with Cornwall Council and Falmouth Town Council we are able to be at the forefront of this drive towards an even cleaner future.”

 

[Busaholic]

14 electric buses are coming to Cornwall next year with funding from the DfT Zebra 2.

Allocation is to be 6 for routes 70/A/B, 7 for Truro P&R and 1 for Falmouth town route 60.

Cornwall ‘amps up’ on climate ambitions as funding announced for county’s first electric buses

The entire Truro Park & Ride fleet will be replaced with electric buses and there will also be a new electric bus for the Falmouth Town Service and a further six electric buses in south-east Cornwall

www.cornwall.gov.uk

I wonder whether there'll be a recharging point at one or other of the Truro P&R sites.

It's a very welcome development, but 14 out of 352 for the SW, even though that might be a greater area than generally recognised by locals, doesn't sound like a fair share out.

The Falmouth town bus route is quite controversial, with a body of opinion not wanting any buses in an otherwise pedestrianised zone, and there'll need to be great care to prevent accidents with an almost silent bus around.

 

[Goldfish62]

I wonder whether there'll be a recharging point at one or other of the Truro P&R sites.

It's a very welcome development, but 14 out of 352 for the SW, even though that might be a greater area than generally recognised by locals, doesn't sound like a fair share out.

The Falmouth town bus route is quite controversial, with a body of opinion not wanting any buses in an otherwise pedestrianised zone, and there'll need to be great care to prevent accidents with an almost silent bus around.

I agree that it's not brillant for Cornwall especially when you compare it with the 150 for the whole of Devon!

Truro P&R isn't a great mileage and should comfortably be within an overnight charge of each bus.

EVs come with a legally required ambient noise these days so aren't silent. London ones make a rather pleasant low level bonging noise:

 

[Busaholic]

Double decker on the 5A this afternoon, not that the extra capacity was needed!

 

[Accelerator59]

I’ve noticed some 15/16/66 plate Enviro 200s have been or are being transferred from Go North West?

 

[LAIRA]

Double decker on the 5A this afternoon, not that the extra capacity was needed!

Pity it was not in Plymouth yesterday as 2 baby buses working the 43 very well loaded!

I’ve noticed some 15/16/66 plate Enviro 200s have been or are being transferred from Go North West?

Not going to Cornwall for a change to replace older e200's

 

[Goldfish62]

Double decker on the 5A this afternoon, not that the extra capacity was needed!

That's something I've never seen before!

First got in on the act with a Gemini on The Mousehole this morning.

 

[fgwrich]

That's something I've never seen before!

First got in on the act with a Gemini on The Mousehole this morning.

I saw that, before being swapped out for the tan coloured Sprinter.

I still can’t help but feel the blue one has all the appearance of an ice cream van though!

 

[richw]

I’ve noticed some 15/16/66 plate Enviro 200s have been or are being transferred from Go North West?

First 66 plate has been painted from orbit to Red. It was on the 5 service in Plymouth this afternoon as I followed it at plymstock

 

[Accelerator59]

First 66 plate has been painted from orbit to Red. It was on the 5 service in Plymouth this afternoon as I followed it at plymstock

I seen that on Bustimes. Plymouth Citybus livery or TfC?

 

[richw]

I seen that on Bustimes. Plymouth Citybus livery or TfC?

Citybus. They are to replace the oldest e200. Two of the 56 plates have been withdrawn in the last week.

 

[Goldfish62]

Cormac, the council's commercial division, has submitted the planning application for the new multi-operator depot at Penzance replacing the current inadequate First and GoAhead facilities. It is being partly paid for through BSIP funding.

The location is on the site of the two current depots, plus the yard next to the First depot that has been used for bus storage in the past. There is parking for 50 buses and a generous amount of staff parking. There will be shared a shared fuel and adblue bay and bus wash. Staff buildings will be separate. There will also be ducting for future electrification.

PA24/02306 | Improvements to Longrock bus depot facilities to provide bus and staff car parking, bus washing & fuelling and relocation of existing welfare and offices portable buildings and provision of new toilet cabin facilities

Online planning registers for Cornwall. View and comment on planning applications and documents online.

planning.cornwall.gov.uk

Here's the site plan:

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Cormac, the council's commercial division, has submitted the planning application for the new multi-operator depot at Penzance replacing the current inadequate First and GoAhead facilities. It is being partly paid for through BSIP funding.

The location is on the site of the two current depots, plus the yard next to the First depot that has been used for bus storage in the past. There is parking for 50 buses and a generous amount of staff parking. There will be shared a shared fuel and adblue bay and bus wash. Staff buildings will be separate. There will also be ducting for future electrification.

PA24/02306 | Improvements to Longrock bus depot facilities to provide bus and staff car parking, bus washing & fuelling and relocation of existing welfare and offices portable buildings and provision of new toilet cabin facilities

Online planning registers for Cornwall. View and comment on planning applications and documents online.

planning.cornwall.gov.uk

Here's the site plan:

Thanks for posting that. The current TfC facility is just a council yard with adblue, portacabin etc. The First one has a proper maintenance shed but don't know how much they actually do there (if anything). Looking at this, there's no other structures than the bus wash, fuel/adblue tanks and the offices/welfare?

 

[MotCO]

Cormac, the council's commercial division, has submitted the planning application for the new multi-operator depot at Penzance replacing the current inadequate First and GoAhead facilities. It is being partly paid for through BSIP funding.

The location is on the site of the two current depots, plus the yard next to the First depot that has been used for bus storage in the past. There is parking for 50 buses and a generous amount of staff parking. There will be shared a shared fuel and adblue bay and bus wash. Staff buildings will be separate. There will also be ducting for future electrification.

PA24/02306 | Improvements to Longrock bus depot facilities to provide bus and staff car parking, bus washing & fuelling and relocation of existing welfare and offices portable buildings and provision of new toilet cabin facilities

Online planning registers for Cornwall. View and comment on planning applications and documents online.

planning.cornwall.gov.uk

Here's the site plan:

No maintenance facilities?

 

[Goldfish62]

No maintenance facilities?

Doesn't look like it. Must presumably be facilities for running repairs though.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Doesn't look like it. Must presumably be facilities for running repairs though.

Not on that plan. There's the 6 cabins for offices/welfare/toilets, a storage container near the wash, the wash itself and the fuel/adblue island, and that's it.

I was, probably mistakenly, under the impression that some light maintenance was undertaken at First's Penzance site whilst the main services and engineering was done at Camborne.

 

[richw]

The First one has a proper maintenance shed but don't know how much they actually do there (if anything).

It’s condemned and unsafe to enter. It’s a complete no go building for staff.

Planning has refused permission to demolish the condemned building

 

[Goldfish62]

Not on that plan. There's the 6 cabins for offices/welfare/toilets, a storage container near the wash, the wash itself and the fuel/adblue island, and that's it.

I was, probably mistakenly, under the impression that some light maintenance was undertaken at First's Penzance site whilst the main services and engineering was done at Camborne.

It's hard to tell what's done at FK Penzance depot these days because it resembles a scrapyard.

At least until a couple of years ago both FK and GCB had a running shift for at least part of the time at Penzance so it's curious if there's now to be no provision. Perhaps the fitters will live in container 7 by the wash! When the time comes to put EVs in the depot there will have to be engineers on site.

Planning has refused permission to demolish the condemned building

This indicates otherwise:

PA23/09557 | Prior notification for proposed demolition of the disused Cornwall Council owned bus depot, workshop and offices, associated outbuildings and structure formerly leased out and used by the First Devon & Cornwall bus compa

Online planning registers for Cornwall. View and comment on planning applications and documents online.

planning.cornwall.gov.uk

Not surprising given that the council owns the site and are planning a new depot there.

Address	Bus Depot Workshop And Offices Poniou Road Long Rock Industrial Estate Long Rock Penzance Cornwall TR20 8HX
Proposal	Prior notification for proposed demolition of the disused Cornwall Council owned bus depot, workshop and offices, associated outbuildings and structure formerly leased out and used by the First Devon & Cornwall bus company.
Status	Decided
Decision	Prior approval not req'd(PA/AF/TEL/DEM/)
Decision Issued Date	Wed 20 Dec 2023

 

[richw]

It's hard to tell what's done at FK Penzance depot these days because it resembles a scrapyard.

At least until a couple of years ago both FK and GCB had a running shift for at least part of the time at Penzance so it's curious if there's now to be no provision. Perhaps the fitters will live in container 7 by the wash! When the time comes to put EVs in the depot there will have to be engineers on site.


This indicates otherwise:

PA23/09557 | Prior notification for proposed demolition of the disused Cornwall Council owned bus depot, workshop and offices, associated outbuildings and structure formerly leased out and used by the First Devon & Cornwall bus compa

Online planning registers for Cornwall. View and comment on planning applications and documents online.

planning.cornwall.gov.uk

Not surprising given that the council owns the site and are planning a new depot there.

The one you’ve shared is a pre application and all they’ve said is it doesn’t need a pre-app.
The previous actual application to demolish was refused in October 2023

Reference	PA23/07895
Alternative Reference	PP-12486844
Application Validated	Fri 29 Sep 2023
Address	Bus Depot Workshop And Offices Poniou Road Longrock Industrial Estate Penzance Long Rock TR20 8HX
Proposal	Prior notification for proposed demolition of the disused Cornwall Council owned bus depot, workshop and offices, associated outbuildings and structure formerly leased out and used by the First Devon & Cornwall bus company
Status	Decided
Decision	Refused
Decision Issued Date	Wed 25 Oct 2023

 

[Goldfish62]

The one you’ve shared is a pre application and all they’ve said is it doesn’t need a pre-app.
The previous actual application to demolish was refused in October 2023

Application and letter dated 20/12/23 confirming that prior planning consent is not required to demolish the building:

PA23/09557 | Prior notification for proposed demolition of the disused Cornwall Council owned bus depot, workshop and offices, associated outbuildings and structure formerly leased out and used by the First Devon & Cornwall bus compa

Online planning registers for Cornwall. View and comment on planning applications and documents online.

planning.cornwall.gov.uk

 

[richw]

So the council, through Cormac, applies to itself to demolish a redundant building, itself a health & safety hazard, in order to build a new bus depot using government funding and refuses it!

Even more bizarre then why it's now gone ahead and submitted the application for the new depot for which a pre-requisite is demolition of the redundant building.

But then this Cormac so why should we be surprised?!

The previous refusal was due to bats living in the building, and nesting birds prior to the one I’ve linked to above

 

[jammy36]

The one you’ve shared is a pre application and all they’ve said is it doesn’t need a pre-app.
The previous actual application to demolish was refused in October 2023

That's not correct. The application that @Goldfish62 linked to is for "prior notification", this is completely different from a pre-app. Prior notification means that the applicant believes the demolition works don't require permission as they are classed as "permitted development" under the relevant schedule of the General Permitted Development Order (GDPO).

The council have confirmed that this is the case - i.e it is "permitted development" and further permission is not required. So now the applicant is free to demolish the building (in accordance with any conditions of the GDPO) when they wish and without making a planning application.