Anger at changes to Cornwall bus timetables

Passengers say they are angry and confused at changes to some bus routes in Cornwall.

One of the routes used to be a direct service from Bude to Plymouth. However, the journey has been split into three, with passengers having to get off at Launceston and Callington and then getting back on.

At each stop passengers have to pay the capped rate of £3 - making a total of £9 to get to Plymouth. Some passengers said they got back on the same bus, with the same driver.

Cornwall Council said it "appreciated" the impact on passengers of the changes, but council-supported services needed to be "financially viable".

Go Cornwall Bus, which operates the service, said customers could still complete their full journey, with stops, for the same price.

A Go Cornwall Bus spokesperson said: "The maximum fare for a return journey between Plymouth and Bude remains £10 with the Plymouth Plus Dayrider.

"Additionally, we offer a Cornwall Dayrider ticket for £8.00 for travel wholly within Cornwall."

Cornwall Council said only about 5% of passengers "travel the full length of this service".

Transport for Cornwall said on its website that "customers across the county may see some changes to their services, all of which are to help improve efficiencies and punctuality".

The Bude to Plymouth route has the number 12 bus but two other buses have been introduced, the 76a and the 76, to connect the routes when buses stop at Callington or Launceston.

Cat Cruickshank, who is a regular user of the route both to Bude and to Plymouth, said she had to wait an hour at Callington after the connecting bus to Launceston had left five minutes before her bus arrived.

She said she felt frustrated: "We've been let down, we've been disappointed and we've been left with no real solution as to how to improve things."

Ruth Adlington-Wood, whose daughter uses the same bus route, said passengers were now required to buy three tickets instead of just one.

"I rang Citybus who told me it wasn't their decision, it was taken by Cornwall Council," she said.

"I've put in a formal complaint to them already and I am urging others to do the same as I don't doubt there are other routes that will have been split up as well.

"When we're told public transport should be used more, our salaries are below national average, I really can't see how they can justify it," she added.

Debbie Stanfield, who uses a wheelchair and has to get to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth from Bude, said she had to make three changes to get to her appointment.

"There's no way I'm going to get there on time if the bus schedule is not running smoothly. It's really difficult because there are so many chops and changes I find it very, very frustrating.

"It's not only for me but for other people who are on the bus as well because I'm taking so much time trying to get on and off the bus."

She said: "To me it's not about how much the bus costs, it's about getting from A to B smoothly, instead of causing havoc for everybody who uses this bus service at this present time."

In a statement Cornwall Council said the number 12 bus was jointly operated by Go Cornwall and Cornwall Council.

It said: "While we continue to see an increase in the number of people travelling by bus in Cornwall, our rural geography and scattered settlements make it harder to run sustainable services.

"The changes made to service 12 mean we can keep buses running between Bude and Plymouth.

"Around 5% of passengers travel the full length of this service with the vast majority travelling between communities along the route.

"The 'through' journey between Bude and Plymouth continues to run during peak times and, while the service number changes, passengers can remain on the same vehicle."

It added the council and the bus company would consider if "additional tweaks" were needed.

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