Thursday 5th October 2023
Readers with good memories may recall in September 2022 I took a ride on Transport for Cornwall’s about to be withdrawn (at that time) four-journeys-a-day route 235 which linked Launceston with Callington along some of the county’s narrowest roads I’ve ever travelled by bus along.
A reorganisation of routes in the area saw route 236 between Launceston and Liskeard renumbered 78 with a once/twice a day variant numbered 78A covering some of those roads no longer covered by the withdrawn 235.
The new 78/78A timetable comprises five return journeys a day including two timed for school children and a variation on TuTh when two off peak 78A journeys run with just one on MWF. There’s no weekend service.
My itinerary last Friday didn’t allow me to catch the 78A but instead I planned to catch the last Launceston bound journey of the day from Liskeard at 16:35 and enjoy another lovely Cornish rural bus ride including a new section of route serving the hamlet of Trebartha as can be seen in the above maps.
It’s a one bus operation timetable with stand time between journeys of four/five minutes at Launceston and nine minutes in Liskeard. During the day, journey time on the 78 is an hour.
Based on my previous experience of the 235 with delays caused by negotiating traffic on the narrow sections of route I was a bit sceptical about whether that stand time allowance would be sufficient.
And sure enough no bus had appeared at the 16:35 scheduled departure time in Liskeard nor had I seen it arrive on the other side of the road on its incoming trip at 16:26.
Even less reassuring was the lack of the bus tracking on either the GoCornwall website or the Bus Times website.
The departure had been listed on the electronic sign in Liskeard but disappeared at 16:35, obviously not being real time.
No-one else was waiting at the bus stop for the 78 although buses on other routes picked up passengers as they came and went.
At 16:45 (19 minutes after the scheduled incoming arrival) I decided to give GoCornwall a call for some reassurance I wouldn’t be stranded in Liskeard for the night. At least there is a telephone number; it was answered with a menu and then, quite quickly (after a recorded message about the ability to track your bus online), a human being.
It’s answered as Plymouth CityBus which adds to the brand confusion when some of the buses in Cornwall on Transport for Cornwall routes also carry that livery.
After a bit of consternation I was asking about a bus that hadn’t turned up in Liskeard and not appearing on the tracker I was told it was running 26 minutes late and was then immediately hung up on.
Still, at least I knew it was on the road and on its way and as a hardened rural bus ride passenger was reassured, but I suspect this kind of experience would put non regulars off travelling by bus; and there’s no chance of encouraging motorists to use the bus in such circumstances. Not many passengers would know departure signs aren’t real time, nor how to track a bus nor what number to ring in the event the bus doesn’t turn up.
Soon after that the bus mysteriously appeared on the tracking and I could see it heading towards Liskeard on the incoming journey and sure enough at 16:54 (28 minutes late) it appeared on the other side of the road with one passenger alighting.
I’d decided to be at that point to ensure the driver knew I wanted to travel northbound so there was no risk the journey would be abandoned. He told me he was going down the road to turn round and would be back soon.
Ten minutes later he at last came into view and I boarded and we left 30 minutes late at 17:05. The driver was obviously frazzled and said he had encountered so much traffic on the journey down and hence the delay.
We headed off Launceston bound but first we had to head east out of Liskeard via Morrisons to serve Liskeard Hospital (and an Aldi) which annoyingly involves negotitating a double run via a congested Clemo Road …
… which added another five minutes to our delay waiting with two other GoCornwall buses to rejoin the A390 and for no custom.
Progress was then better as we headed north up the B3254 to Launceston. Although a B classified road that doesn’t mean it’s to a standard two way width.
There are many sections that become very narrow, and being peak time after 17:00, we inevitably came across many vehicles coming the other way and necessitating much reversing and further inevitable delays…
… not only to us …
… but all other road users too.
Then we came to the new section of route via North Hill to serve Trebartha.
It was another hair-raising section with the narrowest of roads to negotiate …
… but thankfully we didn’t meet anyone coming towards us, although shortly after rejoining the B3254 it was back to the usual problem – fortunately this motorists was able to reverse, even pulling a trailer.
As we approached the outskirts of Launceston it was time for another deviation, this time to serve a large Tesco on the eastern side of the town which the route includes on its inbound route into Launceston, but not the outbound one (to save two double runs – it took us over 10 minutes to do the double run).
We were scheduled to be at Tesco at 17:29, but thanks to all the delays it was now 18:11. And, much to the driver and my surprise a passenger was patiently waiting for us – travelling south, so had to go into Launceston first.
By the time we’d negotated the congested car park …
… it was 18:14 – we were now 45 minutes late.
Thankfully it didn’t take long to reach the Westgate Street terminus and as I left the bus with praise to the driver for his manoeuvring skills he kindly thanked me for my patience and apologised for the delay, which was a nice ending to an eventful journey.
Obviously this was just a one-off journey but I suspect the road conditions I encountered weren’t exceptional, which if the case, would suggest the timetable for the 78/78A very much needs a recast to become more realistic. And perhaps a smaller bus might be helpful, although I don’t know how many school children use the journeys at 07:25 and 15:15.
Roger French
Blogging timetable 06:00 TThS and another DRT update this Su.
BusAndTrainUser 
Thanks for this blog – you make a serious point. Arguably, the best solution would be to add in more standing time – but is a sparser though more reliable service of more use to the users? I wonder if anyone has asked them? Re a smaller bus, in how many situations would the reduction in size really help? Perhaps the people who ran Western Greyhound might know. If the school journeys are the critical factor, perhaps a solution would be to have two school trips each way, both using minibuses (which will be going cheap, per Terence Uden’s comment in you previous blog ‘A tale of Two Reports’) – either with one on each of the 78 and 78A, or perhaps running an hour apart, which would give children opportunities for after-hours activities.
Also in your previous blog comments, Peter Brown references the report on the Swiss system, which generates much higher usage through more frequent services intergrated with regional trains/buses. The report notes that – on average – this requires subsidy of 50% of the cost, though whether ‘cost’ includes e.g. share of track costs (roads, traffic lights etc.) is not mentioned. Nor is there mention of the actual net cost of providing service to how many people or how big an area – which might be interesting to know, if it actually amounted to less than the cost of providing DRT to a similar area or population.
– Rick Townend
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In addition to the timetable being recast for a more resilient performance, should the vehicle choice also be reconsidered?
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Now that HS2 has been, well, slightly pruned back, how about widening a few country roads instead?
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Welcome to my part of the country, Roger. The bus drivers are faced with considerable challenges here, but are invariably friendly and helpful to passengers. But they face daily challenges with the narrow roads, as you illustrate; buses that are really too big for the job; motorists who cannot navigate backwards; extra traffic during the holiday season; inevitable late running, as you found and, as a result, very few passengers to make use of the service. The bus is often the transport of last resort and serious late running (not the drivers fault) means that their poor experience remains in the passengers’ mind for re-telling.
Despite the handsome financial support from Cornwall Council, it’s not a sound basis for maintaining a decent bus network over the years ahead.
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Last comment – Sorry, I forgot to sign off.
Peter Murnaghan
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One assumes that Roger was the only passenger travelling on his journey . . . and also that there was just the one passenger travelling from Launceston . . . so two passengers on a two-hour rounder, which is hardly sparkling. Add in the overtime payable to the driver (probably an hours extra pay), and these trips really didn’t need to run.
Looking at the roads covered . . . even a 16-seater would’ve struggled . . . it’s not so much the length but the width of the bus. Western Greyhound used a fleet of 23-seat Mercedes minibuses, which were rugged and manoeuverable, but still had difficulties on some routes.
There seems to be the need to get the most out of each bus each day . . . an 0700-1900 day (or thereabouts) is required come what may . . . in practice a school bus with a couple of trips during the day would be ample for the passenger traffic available. There are no commuters nowadays.
Of course, DRT would be so much better . . . !!!!!
greenline727
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This looks like a poorly constructed timetable on paper before even reading the blog. Reducing the three off-peak journeys down to two while still offering shopping opportunties at both ends looks possible. Likewise only doing the Tesco double run on a couple of journeys a day should free up some running time. The 17.40 looks the most problematic journey since I suspect the previous school’s journey can’t be retimed – so maybe its better to admit defeat and run it at 18.00. On paper that’s less attractive, but reliability is the key here.
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It’s not surprising that passenger numbers are sparse; it’s not a route that historically existed save for a few short runs (Upton Cross to Liskeard) and some market day runs into Launceston. Cornwall Council has been given a large amount of money to spend and there are a number of random routes and enhancements that have appeared but will these ever meaningfully move the needle on modal share. Of course not, and it’s another waste of money when there are glaring opportunities to do more with the money.
If they are to perservere with this flight of fancy, then agree with Phil Stubbington that a reduction of round trips makes more sense. As for the vehicle type, perhaps it is a consequence of the college workings, and should be noted that TfC partner Summercourt Travel does indeed operate Sprinters to places like Polruan and Tregony reflecting the narrowness of the roads.
As ever, an interesting blog.
BW2
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From Ian McNeil:
Looking at the timetable for the 78, I see that Trevadlock Farm has a northbound bus every weekday morning, but a southbound service only on schooldays. Odd!
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In general Real Time Information at Stops works as below although the system never tells you this
If the time is shown in Hours and Minutes i.e. 13:21 it is not real time but is just showing the timetable time. In most cases this is likely what you will see
If it is showing Real Time it will show in minutes i.e. 31 Min
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Western Greyhound ran its network with Mercedes Varios, which were narrow, and also much more fuel efficient than any rear engined bus. Perhaps Transport for Cornwall should specify the nearest modern equivalent, such as Mellor Stratas. I’m thinking about the nice looking Ribble Country Stratas operated by TransDev Blazefield.
Peter Brown
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What idiot designs a route that uses narrow roads with a bus? Maybe Cornwall Council or who ever is in charge down there should just accept cars are essential in rural areas down that way because it’s plain to see you can not get any size vehicle down those roads!
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Please try the now re-labled 15 (was 515) next time, through St Erth village, and equally narrow lanes, which only has TWO return journeys to Penzance and our surgery at Marazion (imagine how hard IF securing an appt at right time, that is to manage if unwell or elderly/infirm) although maybe one more return journey other way to Hayle and a few just up to the station, which is not in the village but a good half hour hilly walk to and from centre of village.
Two notes on your blog – I think if late the drivers often turn the live tracking off…and only turned on once head office enquire where they are because a passenger is, as I’ve had same problem with the much-vaunted ‘service’. Secondly you cannot ring anyone around or after 5.30 as their offices shut then, so if your last bus back is late and the tracking is off or up the creek, hard luck…if that’s your last bus home, especially of a winter’s night and you’re stranded somewhere where no other buses go your way ie Marazion.
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Hi, A very interesting read, and have had similar experiences on the 78, but it is luck of the drae if you have a journey that gets you there on time or gets you late, dependent on meeting traffic at the right place at the right time.
One thing I would add, the 78A via Linkinhorne, you’d be disappointed to know that buses never go via Linkinhorne despite what the schedule says as there’s always a big bus on it now, been like that sine at least last April and has never been sorted!
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Roger
As a follow up to your recent post about how far you can get out of London on London buses, did you know that London buses used to run as far as Birmingham?
This photo taken in Colmore Row Birmingham some time in the 1980s (reg no.will give date). Not my photo.
The LT vehicles used to lay over in the former Midland Red garage in Sheepcote Street.
This was a joint service with Travel West Midlands and I was a regular user of the service. The London terminus was the forecourt of the Wilton Street garage until LT pulled out when it became Upper Woburn Place and later Victoria Coach Station. When National Express took over Travel West Midlands they terminated the service and I switched to using the train as Digbeth Coach Station was not convenient for me.
David
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Or, for the furthest away from London service, although it’s only one day a year does Imberbus count?!
Keith Briant
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There was quite a discussion on this topic a while back. The consensus seemed to be that neither the Birmingham route (sorry!) nor some of the Friday and Saturday night bus routes they ran which (e.g. to Gillingham which I voted for as the longest LT route) counted.
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This Bus is very often late or a no show. The response you had from the telephone call was very good as it is not usually answered at all.
One user I know was told no such bus ran!
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Summercourt travel use have sprinter wide 16seater but now have sprinter lwb narrow built on sprinter chassie custom built bus body built there’s a long waiting list and expensive
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Two suggestions. One, maybe ban cars on the road at the times the bus is due to run? It could possibly be done in a ‘smart’ way as the sort of thing digital technology was made for. I’m talking about short section of road where car drivers would be required to wait for a short while whilst the bus was notified it was on its way. A version of railway digital signalling perhaps.
Secondly this is maybe what a version of DRT was made for? I don’t like the subsidised taxi go anywhere in theory model but a model that said this bus leaves for Launceston at 16.35 by which time anyone along or within a specified geographic area must have booked a journey. This would cut out the time wasting diversions where no one is picked up and enable more direct routing at times.
Finally I’d like to commend Cornwall for at least trying. We are a car free family who visited at the end of the school holidays and the buses have dramatically improved in the area where we stayed. Combined with the £2 max bus fare it was a much better experience than in the past.
MikeC
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