I did post this last week, and have just realised it never went live at the time, so I post the slightly updated version now.
The fire started early this morning
Five buses were caught up in a blaze at a bus depot in Cornwall this morning (November 27).
Crews from Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service were called to the fire at Summercourt bus depot at around 6:35am.
On arrival at the scene between Truro and Newquay, firefighters used breathing apparatus and hose jets to extinguish the blaze. The fire was confirmed to be out by around 9:20am.
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A spokesperson for Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said: "Two fire appliances were mobilised from Newquay to reports of a bus on fire.
"A total of five buses were found to be involved. A third appliance was requested from St Columb.
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"Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used hose reels and main jets to extinguish the fire."
We have subsequently been informed that the fire involved two buses, a van and a shipping container.
Meanwhile back to the planned post for this evening…
Cornwall Buses blog has been looking at a large number of errors in the bus timetables in Cornwall..
🚍 Overview A recent review of the Transport for Cornwall (TfC) website has revealed widespread mistakes in its published bus timetables. While occasional errors are expected, the sheer number of inaccuracies has raised serious concerns about reliability and oversight.
📄 Key Issues Identified
PDF timetables riddled with mistakes: Many linked versions are outdated, failing to reflect the latest schedules (supposed to be updated on 1 September 2025).
Confusing listings: Go Cornwall Bus services are listed first, while First Bus services appear at the end, forcing passengers to cross-check multiple versions.
Missing operators: Stagecoach services are absent from the online list, despite being included in the composite timetable book.
Poor oversight: Neither Go Cornwall Bus nor Cornwall Council’s passenger transport unit appear to have systematically checked the site for errors.
📧 Response from Officials
On 19 November, concerns were raised directly with Cornwall Council’s transport portfolio holder.
By 2 December, Richard Stevens (Managing Director of Go South West) acknowledged the mistakes, accepted responsibility, and promised corrections by the end of the week.
Dan Rogerson (Cornwall Council transport lead) thanked the complainant but did not apologise for the Council’s failure to spot the errors earlier.
⚠️ Why It Matters With First Bus withdrawing from Cornwall, Go Cornwall Bus is set to hold a near-monopoly on services. Passengers depend on accurate timetables, and the current situation undermines confidence in the Transport for Cornwall partnership.
✍️ Takeaway This episode highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in public transport. A few hours of administrative diligence could have prevented widespread confusion, yet weeks later, passengers are still left navigating flawed information.
These errors reflect the sad state of the current bus industry. Bus operation is, and has always been, a detail business and a local business. Modern managers are not local and frequently unable to do detail, A visually attractive and inaccurate publication further diminishes bus users confidence in using the network! For far too often, the industry has been responsible for its own demise!
ReplyDeleteWell said. Agree entirely. It can be done, even by Go-Ahead! Look at Brighton, GSC, or operators like Reading. The problem is that doing detail costs money and it's an expense that bean counters based remotely, don't appreciate or consider important. Indeed, it's viewed as wasteful. You can't have a proper handle on an operation in Cornwall if you're based in Gosport, just as one example....
DeleteWhat vehicles and which company were impacted by the fire?
ReplyDeleteIt was Go Ahead
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