Cornwall's bus network 'not fit for purpose' as new changes to services impact students

CORNWALL'S bus services have been deemed "not fit for purpose" when it comes to student travel, according to the principal of one of the Duchy's leading colleges.

- by LEE TREWHELA Local Democracy Reporter [e-mail] @LeeTrewhela

His comment comes after a parent contacted us to say new changes to a bus route made her daughter miss a vital mock A-level exam.

Changes by First Bus came into effect on April 20 as part of bi-annual network alterations for Cornwall and have been designed using feedback from customers and drivers, working closely with Cornwall Council.

The company said: "For the first time in Cornwall, we are using an AI-based scheduling system called Prospective to improve the reliability of timetables and shift patterns, using AI to predict traffic conditions and peak running times to help ensure services run on time."

First says to improve running times and help to minimise delays, some routes will be changed from 'through routes' to a 'hub and spoke' model, meaning buses will terminate at Truro Bus Station rather than continue as one long journey which is affecting student travel to Truro College.

The company says this will allow passengers to connect to onward journeys and will reduce the impact of traffic delays having a knock-on effect across the network.

A parent from St Austell, who only wanted to be known as Rebecca, contacted us with her concerns. She said: "I'm reaching out in the hope that you might be able to highlight an urgent and worrying issue affecting students in the St Austell area.

"Just as A-level exams are about to begin, the T1 college bus route has been replaced with the 27 - but this new service now only picks up from St Austell bus station.

"This sudden change means my daughter, along with many others, is now expected to walk over a mile early in the morning to get to the bus station. Some students are having to walk more than two miles.