£23.5 million for cheaper bus journeys as pilot officially launches in Cornwall
Adults are set to spend one third less on their travel fares
A new scheme in Cornwall will see residents paying one third less to travel by bus under a new pilot scheme led by Cornwall Council.
The pilot, which launched yesterday (Monday 11th April), aims to encourage more people to travel by bus.
It follows a bid by the Council for £23.5m funded by the UK Government and will see cheaper fares under the new summer timetables introduced this month.
Philip Desmonde, Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for transport, said: “I am very pleased and proud we have been able to deliver the amazing value for money outcomes on our Bus routes throughout Cornwall. Great for work, school and reaching the County services whilst contributing to lowering our carbon footprint.
“Road transport is major contributor of carbon dioxide emissions and research shows that around a third of journeys made by car are of less than 5km. We all need to think about how we travel and I hope that this pilot will encourage more people to make more sustainable choices. If we all swap even one regular journey, it will make a difference.
“I invite you all to try the simple pleasure of riding on one of our wonderful buses and experiencing our beautiful Cornish countryside, towns, villages and coastal scenes.”
The pilot, which aims to encourage more people to hop on the bus and leave their cars at home, will run for the next four years.
It is hoped the scheme will cut car emissions as road transport currently accounts for around a quarter of all of Cornwall’s carbon emissions.
Richard Stevens, managing director at Go Cornwall Bus said; “We are delighted to be a partner in this innovative scheme, for years people have told us price is one of the main barriers to regular bus use.
"This pilot seeks to remove price as a barrier, enabling us to offer excellent value for money fares. I hope that every Cornwall resident will seek to add bus travel to their regular lives, helping to secure a sustainable, connected future for the rest of our lives.”
“Making our buses better value and easier to use will give our residents a much more attractive, sustainable travel option and is instrumental in our journey to helping Cornwall become carbon neutral.”
Simon Goff, managing director of First South West, added: “Anything that makes choosing the bus an even more enticing option is to be warmly welcomed and we look forward to helping even more passengers get to their destinations safely and efficiently over the coming months and years.
"Cornwall Council deserves praise for leading this initiative which is sure to have a significant and lasting positive impact throughout the county.”
The reduced bus fares pilot is at the centre of Cornwall’s Bus Service Improvement Plan which was submitted to Government in October 2021 as a bid for transformational funding over the next three years.
Cornwall Council and Transport for Cornwall hopes this alongside other changes to the accessibility of the service will further develop the bus network.
Linda Taylor, leader of Cornwall Council, said: “This is very welcome news which will make a real difference to our residents and ultimately, our environment.