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Man begins 320-mile journey from Derby to Cornwall on buses

BBC Andrew Cowell boarding a bus in DerbyBBC
Andrew Cowell started his journey with a bus from his home in Allestree to Derby Bus Station

A man is attempting to travel 320 miles (515km) from Derby to Cornwall using 20 different bus services.

Andrew Cowell previously utilised a government-funded £2 bus fare cap to travel from his home in Derby to Whitby in North Yorkshire.

Now he has set off with a plan that should see him reach Penzance by Saturday night.

Mr Cowell set himself the latest challenge to highlight the public transport initiative.

He is hoping to continue using as many of these price-capped services as possible while making his way to the south west.

His journey started with a bus from his home in Allestree to Derby Bus Station, where he then got his second bus to Leicester city centre.

"It's basically to promote the £2 bus fare and also just because I'm slightly eccentric and it's a challenge," he said.

Andrew Cowell at the bus station in Derby
Mr Cowell expects to reach Penzance by Saturday night

Mr Cowell plans to spend all day Thursday travelling to Swindon on nine different buses.

On Friday, he will then make his way to Exeter before finally arriving in Penzance on Saturday after three full days of travelling by bus.

This route is more than double that of his previous 137-mile (220km) feat.

He said: "It was as far away from Derby as I could get and I haven't been to Cornwall for several years and I do fancy the lure of the sea."

Andrew Cowell holding his £2 bus ticket from Derby to Leicester
Mr Cowell said his unusual method of travel was to promote the £2 bus fare scheme

All but one of the buses he plans to use are participating in the £2 fare scheme.

It was introduced as a cost-of-living measure but was also meant to encourage people back on to buses.

Earlier this month, a survey by the transport watchdog suggested more people were using bus services following the introduction of the scheme, which is due to expire in June.

In total, Mr Cowell expects his travel to cost £39.50, excluding additional costs for food and accommodation.

He said: "I wouldn't suggest people do this as a practical method to get to Penzance, but to prove a point that we still have a national bus network and you still can actually use it."

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