Transport for Cornwall
{{Short description|Organisation responsible for overseeing the public transport network in Cornwall, England}}
{{About|the transport partnership|a general overview of public transport in Cornwall|Transport in Cornwall}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox Bus transit
| name = Transport for Cornwall
| logo = File:TFCLogo.png
| image = Go Cornwall 1.jpg
| image_caption = Transport for Cornwall bus operated by Go Cornwall Bus in Boscastle
| parent = Cornwall Council
| founded = 2015
| headquarters = Suites 1-2, The Palace Building, Quay Street, Truro, Cornwall, TR1{{nbsp}}2HE
| service_area = Cornwall, England, United Kingdom
| service_type = Enhanced Partnership (Bus Services Act 2017)
| operator = Go Cornwall Bus (Go-Ahead Group), Cornwall by Kernow (FirstGroup), other local bus operators
| leader_type = Cabinet Member for Transport at Cornwall Council
| leader =
| website = {{url|transportforcornwall.co.uk}}
}}
Transport for Cornwall ({{langx|kw|Karyans rag Kernow}}) is a partnership between local government and transport operators responsible for the development and integration of the transport network in Cornwall, England. {{cite web |title=Transport for Cornwall – Funding |url=https://www.gocornwallbus.co.uk/transport-cornwall-funding/ |website=Go Cornwall Bus |access-date=11 March 2023}}
Transport for Cornwall is responsible for council-funded buses in Cornwall, with various national and local bus companies running the services via franchise. It does not oversee any other forms of public transport in the county, which are limited to passenger rail, air, and ferry services.
History
= Before the partnership =
Transport for Cornwall branding arose from the One Public Transport System for Cornwall plan, created by Cornwall Council in 2015, when limited devolution powers were given to Cornwall which included public transport governance.{{cite web |title=Transport for Cornwall prepares to begin operations |url=https://cbwmagazine.com/transport-for-cornwall-prepares-to-begin-operations/ |website=Coach and Bus Week |date=17 March 2020 |access-date=11 March 2023}} Prior to this, the bus network in Cornwall was run by multiple private operators, with no integrated timetabling nor ticketing, with some tendered services being funded by the council to improve rural access. Traveline provided some combined journey planning.
= One Public Transport System for Cornwall: Initial partnership =
Under Cornwall's first devolution deal in 2015, the county was given the power to develop and franchise bus transport.{{Cite news|date=2015-07-16|title=Cornwall devolution: First county with new powers|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-33542592|access-date=2022-02-14}} Cornwall Council initially invested in new facilities such as waiting areas, vehicles and real-time arrival displays at bus stops. This was done with extra funding from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, GWR and Plymouth's Transforming Cities Fund. This was done in cooperation with various local bus operators under the title 'One Public Transport System for Cornwall'.
In January 2020, Cornwall Council awarded Go Cornwall Bus an 8-year contract (totalling £192 million) to provide bus services under the scheme.{{cite web |title=New Contract Award for Go Cornwall Bus |url=https://www.plymouthbus.co.uk/news-service-updates/new-contract-award-go-cornwall-bus/ |website=Plymouth City Bus (Go South West) |access-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410141332/https://www.plymouthbus.co.uk/news-service-updates/new-contract-award-go-cornwall-bus/ |archive-date=10 April 2021}}{{cite web |title=Cornwall Transport Plan (Local Transport Plan to 2030) - Evidence Base |url=https://ehq-production-europe.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/ea808788540d68b2902923ebfb00d6dc5026b58a/original/1649841667/dce61efd12f1645407a01a7ec7db67c2_Cornwall_Local_Transport_Plan_Evidence_Base_2021_-_reduced_size.pdf_%285.81_MB%29_%28pdf%29.pdf?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIA4KKNQAKICO37GBEP%2F20230310%2Feu-west-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20230310T215832Z&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=8e1d181f6428df7e65ce20a4c8a61ab06df68fde58a8e3370930f5994163dc6f |publisher=Engineering Design Group |access-date=11 March 2023 |date=15 November 2021}}
= Launch of Transport for Cornwall brand =
In March 2020, Go Cornwall Bus partnered with Cornwall Council and local operators to form the new Transport for Cornwall brand, with plans calling for an additional 130 vehicles. The Transport for Cornwall website went live on 14 March 2020.
= Developments since 2020 =
{{expand section|date=March 2023}}
On 1st Jan 2025, the bus single fare cap was risen from £2 to £3 as part of a national policy.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-22 |title=Cornwall bus fares to rise as fare cap increased |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd75224j1dpo |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
In Early 2025, the former Go Cornwall bus app was merged with the remaining services not on the [https://passenger.tech/ Passenger]-derived programme (mainly First Kernow operations).{{Cite web |date=2025-01-25 |title=New app shows bus information in Cornwall |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx24xqg3l5xo |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
Organisation and role
Transport for Cornwall is not an organisation, but a partnership of organisations. However, it does have staff, both direct and seconded from participating companies and Cornwall Council.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}
The partnership is responsible for training drivers and plans routes. It directly runs most of Go Cornwall Bus services and subsidises others.
Transport for Cornwall's funding comes from a mixture of sources including direct central government funding, direct community development funding, indirect funding such as fare schemes, and private investment in vehicles from member companies.
{{expand section|date=March 2023}}
Fares
= Any Ticket, Any Bus: Shared ticketing =
Under Transport for Cornwall's 'Any Ticket, Any Bus' ticketing system, all participating companies now use one ticket system for journeys inside Cornwall.{{cite web |title=Bus Fares Pilot – Frequently Asked Questions |url=https://www.transportforcornwall.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/FAQS.pdf |website=Transport for Cornwall |access-date=11 March 2023}} Despite not being part of the scheme, Stagecoach buses on routes inside Cornwall also accept tickets from other operators, as long as the journey on the original ticket is completely within Cornwall.{{cite web |title=Tickets |url=https://www.transportforcornwall.co.uk/#tickets |website=Transport for Cornwall |access-date=11 March 2023}}
Exceptions to the Any Bus, Any Ticket scheme are college and university passes, Park & Ride, and contract buses.
= Schemes for reducing fare costs =
= Tap & Cap =
{{Main|Contactless payments}}
Transport for Cornwall's multi-operator capped contactless ticket system, Tap & Cap, caps travel charges at a maximum of £5 a day or £20 a week (as of January 2023), regardless of the number of trips. Passengers pay onboard by tapping their contactless payment method when entering and leaving the bus. Tap & Cap supports Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay and Android Pay. However, not all companies in the network offer contactless payment, and other fares (including child fares, town zone fares, singles and returns) cannot be bought via Tap & Cap. These can still be bought using cash or contactless methods from the driver in contactless-equipped vehicles. {{cite web | url=https://www.gocornwallbus.co.uk/tapandcap | title=Tap & Cap }} In the future it is planned for bus/rail integrated ticketing as both systems now have Smartcard/Contactless readers.{{Cite web |title=Cornwall Bus Service Improvement Plan (2024) |url=https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/media/02wcicxr/tfc-bus-service-improvement-plan-2024-final.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=16 March 2025 |website=Cornwall Council}}
= Town zones =
Identity and marketing
File:St Austell Bus Station - Summercourt LK68ZTC.jpg operated by Summercourt Travel in Transport for Cornwall livery (St Austell, 2022)]]
Inspired by Transport for London's roundel,{{cite web |title=Cornwall Enhanced Partnership Plan and Scheme |url=https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/media/f1vjxsul/enhanced-partnership-variation-november-2022.pdf |website=Cornwall Council |publisher=Transport for Cornwall}} Transport for Cornwall's logo was designed to give an identity to the network as a whole.
New buses in the network have red Transport for Cornwall livery, and old buses from the various operators are being rebranded. Bus stop signs have been updated with the new branding{{cite web |title=Cornwall Transport Plan (Local Transport Plan to 2030) - Evidence Base |url=https://ehq-production-europe.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/ea808788540d68b2902923ebfb00d6dc5026b58a/original/1649841667/dce61efd12f1645407a01a7ec7db67c2_Cornwall_Local_Transport_Plan_Evidence_Base_2021_-_reduced_size.pdf_%285.81_MB%29_%28pdf%29.pdf?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIA4KKNQAKICO37GBEP%2F20230310%2Feu-west-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20230310T215832Z&X-Amz-Expires=300&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=8e1d181f6428df7e65ce20a4c8a61ab06df68fde58a8e3370930f5994163dc6f |publisher=Engineering Design Group |access-date=11 March 2023 |date=15 November 2021}} and Transport for Cornwall has also produced branded integrated bus network maps.
In February 2023 Transport for Cornwall launched the Love The Bus campaign, aimed at youth.{{cite web |title=Go Cornwall Bus |url=https://twitter.com/GoCornwallBuses/status/1623240474843664385 |website=Twitter}}