Cornish bus operators (excluding First Kernow)

[83G/84D]

A2B Newquay V87 MOA seen in Perranporth today on what looked like a Private Hire. It still carries mostly it’s old National Express West Midlands red and white colours.

 

[matt_splat]

A2B Newquay V87 MOA seen in Perranporth today on what looked like a Private Hire. It still carries mostly it’s old National Express West Midlands red and white colours.

Normally a shuttle bus runs from Perranporth to a camp site for tunes in the dunes

 

[83G/84D]

Normally a shuttle bus runs from Perranporth to a camp site for tunes in the dunes

I did not know about tunes in the dunes, thanks for enlightening me!

 

[Accelerator59]

A2B Newquay V87 MOA seen in Perranporth today on what looked like a Private Hire. It still carries mostly it’s old National Express West Midlands red and white colours.

I also saw a Lolyne PG04 WHT on that same day and location, which was a private hire I think. Is this also with A2B Newquay?

 

[richw]

I also saw a Lolyne PG04 WHT on that same day and location, which was a private hire I think. Is this also with A2B Newquay?

A2B Newquay have recently acquired 2 Lolynes in battleship Grey

 

[vla50]

A2B Newquay have recently acquired 2 Lolynes in battleship Grey

They're Vikings I think? They were from United Motorcoaches or something like that in London, a subsidary to the RATP group.

 

[cnjb8]

They're Vikings I think? They were from United Motorcoaches or something like that in London, a subsidary to the RATP group.

They are East Lancs Vyking Myllenium vehicles. They have been at Ensign for a few months I think.

 

[83G/84D]

I saw Volvo B7TL W805 PAE in Hayle this afternoon, there did not appear to be any passengers on board.

 

[richw]

I saw Volvo B7TL W805 PAE in Hayle this afternoon, there did not appear to be any passengers on board.

Rosevidney travel have it I believe

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Rosevidney travel have it I believe

And have had for some years

 

[83G/84D]

Rosevidney travel have it I believe

And have had for some years

It had Rosevidney titles on it so assume they are still using it.

 

[83G/84D]

A2B Newquay have recently acquired 2 Lolynes in battleship Grey

They're Vikings I think? They were from United Motorcoaches or something like that in London, a subsidary to the RATP group.

They are East Lancs Vyking Myllenium vehicles. They have been at Ensign for a few months I think.

I saw one today, the registration was PG04 WHV.

 

[83G/84D]

Enviro 400’s LK57 AXM & LK56 FHE are at Roselyn. They were formerly with Midland Classic and still wear the colours of that operator.

 

[LAIRA]

Cornish operators on Rail Replacement in Plymouth today included
Williams Camborne
BD11LVM
WIL9714

Roselyn
TIL7908
SK07CGV
TIL7906
YAF872

Please does anyone know the previous reg of YAF872?

 

[cnjb8]

Cornish operators on Rail Replacement in Plymouth today included
Williams Camborne
BD11LVM
WIL9714

Roselyn
TIL7908
SK07CGV
TIL7906
YAF872

Please does anyone know the previous reg of YAF872?

T519 EUB

 

[LAIRA]

T519 EUB

No sorry it is a newer coach than that.

 

[richw]

T519 EUB

It’s a 13 plate neoplan. Beleive it came from Silverdale



Roselyn RO62LYN, RO67LYN and WJ16KCV all at Chelsea with Argyle supporters along with Truronian Y2EDN and Y24TRU completing the Cornish contingent shifting argyle supporters today.
3 tamar coaches and around 10 Tally Ho! Completing the argyle supporter line up.

 

[LAIRA]

Cornish operators on RRS in Plymoith 19.2.22
Roselyn TIL7906 PSV143 LIB226 UIA29
Williams Camborne WIL9714

 

[Busaholic]

The father of Jeffrey Oxenham, the former proprietor of Mounts Bay Coaches, has died aged 98: his funeral took place yesterday. He drove coaches for the company until the age of 80, at which point he had to give up as insurance became unavailable. His son-in-law, whom I know, told me he was the only driver at the company who was prepared to take passengers right up to the Minack Theatre above Porthcurno and park in the main car park there, always without incident. On another occasion his coach's brakes failed as he descended a hill to the Cornwall Coliseum at Carlyon Bay with a full load of passengers, and he deliberately steered the nearside into the adjoining wall until it came to a halt, with no significant injuries to anyone in what could have been a disaster. RIP.

Incidentally, the depot by the railway line opposite Sainsburys has been sold to Network Rail and will be vacated soon. Other parking space has been sourced but not a workshop, so far.

 

[richw]

A cut in services of the GoAhead network from Monday.

Service changes across Cornwall from 28 February

We're reducing some of our services in the county due to a shortage of drivers

www.gocornwallbus.co.uk

We’re having to reduce some of our services across Cornwall from Monday due to a shortage of drivers. We will be reviewing this situation weekly, depending on the number of drivers we have available.

We will be prioritising routes to hospitals, schools and colleges.

From Monday to Friday, the routes cancelled are:

2	Penzance to Praa Sands	1000, 1100, 1200, 1810
Praa Sands to Penzance	1026, 1126, 1226, 1836
7	Penzance – Land’s End	All services cancelled. The Cornwall by Kernow Lands End Coaster service can be used as an alternative
10	Bodmin Parkway – Padstow Bodmin Parkway	0707, 0807, 0937, 1137, 1337, 1537, 1742
Bodmin Hospital	0737, 0842
Wadebridge	1025, 1225, 1425, 1625
11	Bodmin Parkway to Plymouth	1748
Plymouth to Bodmin Parkway	2010
11A	Padstow to Bodmin Parkway	1640 will not continue to Plymouth
Bodmin Parkway to Padstow	2132
45	Camborne to Troon	1733
Truro – Camborne	1747
Camborne – Pool	1800
Pool – Camborne	1815
47	Redruth	0623
Truro	0740, 1140, 1540
Camborne	0930,1330, 1830 (1830 service will resume in Redruth at 1921)
54/A	Bodmin Town	All services cancelled

Saturday route cancellations:

2	Penzance to Praa Sands	1000, 1100, 1200, 1300, 1810
Praa Sands to Penzance	1026, 1126, 1226, 1326, 1836
7	Penzance to Land’s End	All services cancelled. The Cornwall by Kernow Lands End Coaster service can be used as an alternative
10	Bodmin Parkway	0937, 1137, 1337, 1537, 1742
Wadebridge	1025, 1225, 1425, 1625
54/A	Bodmin Town	All services cancelled

We will revise this on a weekly basis, according to the number of drivers we have. All services will be updated on the app and the website.

 

[Goldfish62]

A cut in services of the GoAhead network from Monday.

Service changes across Cornwall from 28 February

We're reducing some of our services in the county due to a shortage of drivers

www.gocornwallbus.co.uk

It feels like there's no end to the driver shortage.

 

[richw]

It feels like there's no end to the driver shortage.

Indeed.
Commercial routes can be cut to suit staffing a lot easier than tendered services too. The council clearly deem them socially necessary to fund them.
If Cornwall council need to cut budgets it might do them a favour I wonder?

 

[Goldfish62]

Indeed.
Commercial routes can be cut to suit staffing a lot easier than tendered services too. The council clearly deem them socially necessary to fund them.
If Cornwall council need to cut budgets it might do them a favour I wonder?

Yes. With the impending cuts to the supported network I do wonder if the 7 for example is ever going to reappear.

 

[M803UYA]

It feels like there's no end to the driver shortage.

A 'driver shortage' has been something the bus industry has had for a long time. What is different, now, is the delays with DVLA licensing new provisional entitlement drivers. Until they do so, these provisional drivers can't go for test. The haulage industry has responded to a shortage of drivers by increasing their wages, which means those with that licence have left buses/coaches for better paid work. The load in a lorry doesn't answer back though you do have to take it on/off the vehicle. The load in a lorry doesn't leave a load of rubbish behind once they've travelled in the vehicle.

Even if the bus industry increased it's wages, it needs to revisit the conditions of those working in the industry. It needs to change what it does. Things like rostering people for 39 hour 5 day weeks, being away from home for 12+ hours a day and being paid for 9 hours or expecting drivers to work overtime just to survive. Telling drivers they can have holidays when the company decides. These things no longer work in the job marketplace.

Things such as black boxes in cabs to 'monitor' driving standards then being weaponised against drivers, management that couldn't care less beyond 'getting the bus out' and the attitude of some of the passengers are all things that cause a driver to walk away from the industry.
No amount of enhanced pay will ever address the attitude of the industry.

For far too long the attitude of much of the industry has been 'if you don't like what we offer, the door is over there'. Now drivers have cottoned onto that and walked out the door, and the bus industry needs to respond to that. If they don't, then they'll continue to have driver shortages.
My experiences tell me the industry isn't going to respond positively. We now see unions taking advantage of this shortage of drivers to press home their demands for increased pay, but as I say, pay is just one part of the problem.

So I don't see 'an end' this shortage of drivers. It will become the new norm and the clever operators will respond to it and adapt (there are some good companies around) - those who don't won't be around in business.

 

[Cesarcollie]

A 'driver shortage' has been something the bus industry has had for a long time. What is different, now, is the delays with DVLA licensing new provisional entitlement drivers. Until they do so, these provisional drivers can't go for test. The haulage industry has responded to a shortage of drivers by increasing their wages, which means those with that licence have left buses/coaches for better paid work. The load in a lorry doesn't answer back though you do have to take it on/off the vehicle. The load in a lorry doesn't leave a load of rubbish behind once they've travelled in the vehicle.

Even if the bus industry increased it's wages, it needs to revisit the conditions of those working in the industry. It needs to change what it does. Things like rostering people for 39 hour 5 day weeks, being away from home for 12+ hours a day and being paid for 9 hours or expecting drivers to work overtime just to survive. Telling drivers they can have holidays when the company decides. These things no longer work in the job marketplace.

Things such as black boxes in cabs to 'monitor' driving standards then being weaponised against drivers, management that couldn't care less beyond 'getting the bus out' and the attitude of some of the passengers are all things that cause a driver to walk away from the industry.
No amount of enhanced pay will ever address the attitude of the industry.

For far too long the attitude of much of the industry has been 'if you don't like what we offer, the door is over there'. Now drivers have cottoned onto that and walked out the door, and the bus industry needs to respond to that. If they don't, then they'll continue to have driver shortages.
My experiences tell me the industry isn't going to respond positively. We now see unions taking advantage of this shortage of drivers to press home their demands for increased pay, but as I say, pay is just one part of the problem.

So I don't see 'an end' this shortage of drivers. It will become the new norm and the clever operators will respond to it and adapt (there are some good companies around) - those who don't won't be around in business.

Interesting point on holidays…. Do you expect every driver to be able to choose when they want holiday? And if so how does the industry maintain services?

 

[richw]

Interesting point on holidays…. Do you expect every driver to be able to choose when they want holiday? And if so how does the industry maintain services?

X number of holiday slots each week. First come first served to book each week. If the maximum number of drivers have booked a week off that week becomes closed to further requests. Works perfectly well here.

 

[Cesarcollie]

X number of holiday slots each week. First come first served to book each week. If the maximum number of drivers have booked a week off that week becomes closed to further requests. Works perfectly well here.

Yep. Except that those that aren’t quick off the mark and/or can’t book holidays early for whatever reason always end up with rubbish dates! So a block system is in many ways fairer to all as everyone gets their fair share of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ slots.

 

[M803UYA]

Interesting point on holidays…. Do you expect every driver to be able to choose when they want holiday? And if so how does the industry maintain services?

Compare the allocation of holidays in non-driving rostered jobs and you'll find people normally choose their holidays rather than being told when they'll take them. I'd say that was one reason why people don't take up such roles and why there is a retention issue.

 

[83G/84D]

Mounts Bay coaches have ceased using their garage at Ponsandane near Penzance and the site is to be cleared to make way for a Great Weston Railway depot extension.

I know Mounts Bay have been using a small area nearby to park buses but this has basic facilities and is uncovered.

Does anyone know if they will have access to covered accommodation for vehicle maintenance and repairs and if so where will this be?

Update - Apparently according to a Facebook post, maintenance etc will be done by someone else.

 

[Goldfish62]

Mounts Bay coaches have ceased using their garage at Ponsandane near Penzance and the site is to be cleared to make way for a Great Weston Railway depot extension.

I know Mounts Bay have been using a small area nearby to park buses but this has basic facilities and is uncovered.

Does anyone know if they will have access to covered accommodation for vehicle maintenance and repairs and if so where will this be?

Update - Apparently according to a Facebook post, maintenance etc will be done by someone else.

I was told that Network Rail were paying to relocate Mount's Bay Coaches. I don't know if the current arrangement is permanent, but having a completely open air yard is hardly ideal.