Transport for Cornwall – Funding

Transport for Cornwall is the partnership between Cornwall Council, Go Cornwall Bus and other local public transport providers who are delivering the vision for a high-quality, integrated and customer-focused public transport network.

In 2015 the Council signed a Devolution Deal with Government to gain greater powers of governance over public transport. It was also successful in securing £9.5m Local Growth Funding from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership to match against its own £2.9m and deliver improvements for passengers in recent years such as upgraded waiting facilities, new vehicles and real time information displays in bus stops across the county.  This work was carried out in partnership with local transport operators under the title ‘One Public Transport System for Cornwall’.  This has recently been retitled ‘Transport for Cornwall’ and will be formally launched in May 2020.

From 2017, successful partnership working has encouraged significant investment of over £34m from bus operators First Kernow and Go Cornwall Bus in the provision of brand new, low emission buses to operate the network, many with WiFi and USB charging. Ahead of the launch of Transport for Cornwall, Go Cornwall Bus has committed further investment in to driver recruitment & training, depot facilities and the improvement of information for passengers to really deliver the Transport for Cornwall vision.

Working with Plymouth City Council, Cornwall Council has recently received funding from Plymouth’s Transforming Cities Fund to upgrade roadside waiting facilities and improve real time passenger information at bus stops and rail stations on routes into Plymouth in south and east Cornwall.  It has been able to further enhance information and integration between bus and rail through a successful bid to GWR’s Customer and Communities Improvement Fund (CCIF) which has facilitated the installation of real time passenger information screens mainline stations throughout mid and west Cornwall, informing passengers of opportunities to connect easily between bus and rail.

Transport for Cornwall aims to deliver a high quality public transport system that Cornwall can be proud of and, as such, Cornwall Council and its partners will continue to secure appropriate funding to improve the public transport product and experience for all customers.