Western Morning News (Saturday)
New incentives to get back on the buses and trains
IN a peninsula such as Cornwall there will always be challenges to building resilient public transport infrastructure.
However, some good progress has been made in the last few years. We have invested to improve our railways and there is now a regular halfhourly service running through Cornwall, which has led to a significant increase in passenger numbers.
In the past I have written about plans to introduce Britain’s first SuperBus network here, part of plans to reverse the impacts of dwindling services in local towns and drive forward a bus revolution that will improve access for everyone. The investment will direct support towards more frequent public transport in the countryside, introducing apps that will improve the information available to commuters and ensuring fleets will be cleaner, more environmentally friendly and better integrated with our train network.
In March 2021 the Government published the Bus Back Better plan, a post-pandemic national strategy that set out how we would overhaul our transport system, making it more accessible. As part of this announcement, Cornwall was awarded £23.5 million to develop and launch a Bus Service Improvement Plan.
From Monday, Cornwall Council will be launching a pilot called Make Big Savings by Bus. This will fundamentally change the fare structure of buses in Cornwall, saving the average consumer up to a third of the cost. For instance, a journey between Camborne and Redruth, a “shorthop fare”, will be reduced by up to 20%, while a longer journey, such as Camborne to Truro, will see a reduction of around 40% in some cases.
Transport portfolio holder Cllr Phillip Desmond and his team have been working hard with bus companies over the past six months to create a day pass for unlimited travel across Cornwall that works on any bus service. This will cost £5 a day or £20 a week. In addition, this week the Secretary of State for Transport has announced a further £13.3m for Cornwall to expand services, which is part of a wider £7 billion package to improve public transport outside London. It aims to make buses more reliable and greener.
Since being elected I have prioritised economic regeneration and green recovery. Investing in and improving the public transport system for Cornwall is a significant step forward in ensuring our local communities are supported and connected.
These announcements should encourage more people to use our growing bus network, supporting both businesses and residents alike, driving regeneration across the whole Camborne and Redruth area.
■