New bus timetables to be introduced from 1 June 2014

Following the latest tendering process by Cornwall Council for those bus routes subsidised by the Council, agreement has been reached between the Council and the bus operators. Overall, the overwhelming majority of routes across the county have been retained at similar service levels to previously.

In the Probus, Tregony and Grampound area, new timetables are being introduced with effect from 1 June 2014.

On the First Truro to St Austell 27 route, the hourly service frequency has been retained between approximately 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday. However, the departure times have been switched by half-an-hour from the existing timetable in order to provide better coverage during the morning peak period. This is a commercial route meaning that First receives no subsidy from the Council to run the services (other than the concessionary fare income). The evenings and Sundays are covered by the Western Greyhound 520 service, which is subsidised by Cornwall Council.

The Roseland to Truro routes (550 from St Mawes, 551 from Veryan) will continue to be run by Western Greyhound. The service levels are broadly similar to the existing except that the last bus from Tregony to Truro will be at 17:05 and Portloe is no longer served by the 551. However, the good news is that these routes are now being run by Western Greyhound as commercial routes with no subsidy from the Council. This means that, provided that passenger numbers continue to be good, these services are more secure in the longer term since they will not be subject to the Council's constrained budget for subsidised routes. The other good news is that the 550 and 551 will run through to Treliske (Trelawney wing) – this will be appreciated by residents of Tregony and Probus who currently have to change in Truro if they wish to travel to Treliske. (Note: not on Sundays.)

It should be noted that the 522 that runs through the Clay Country via Probus to Truro will also be running through to Treliske, as will the 520 evening service (but not the Sunday service).

For full timetables of all routes, see Buses.

May 2014