Open top bus service 300 Lands End St Ives

[whole diary]

[Brucey]

Route is no longer listed at Firstgroup website.

It hasn't been listed all winter.

A few days ago, the timetable was shown here: http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/devon_cornwall/journey_planning/timetables/forthcoming.php

I also have the PDF timetable downloaded.  It showed the 300 operating the entire route, so I assume they are making changes to "merge" it with the 17.

[LiskeardRich]

First Kernow have just posted the following on their Facebook Page

Recent local media reports are creating a belief that a big cut in additional seasonal bus services in West Cornwall this year is planned, particularly in respect of open top services. This simply is untrue. There are changes planned, and these are explained here, with the key reasons for those changes:-
^ In previous years, First Kernow has operated the 300 route, running as a circular linking St Ives, Marazion (for St Michael^s Mount), Penzance, Lands End and then via the north coast back to St Ives
^ Although undoubtedly popular on fine days, demand fluctuates significantly according to the weather. The service has struggled overall to cover the costs of the resources needed to run it
^ Two events have occurred this year which contribute to our review of the service. The first is Cornwall Council^s understandable decision to withdraw support funding for the early (Easter to Whitsun) and late (September) season of operation, due to its budgetary constraints. The second is that seasonal services run primarily for tourism purposes do not automatically qualify for concessionary fare reimbursement, and the Council has advised it will not pay us for accepting passes on the service. This is expected to have a significant adverse impact on the numbers travelling
^ We therefore have constructed a plan which improves the overall efficiency of the operation by eliminating duplication between the regular and open top services where they run in parallel. This actually has enabled us to bolster the service coverage on the most popular sections of the route
^ The former 300 circular route will now be served in three separate sections:-
- St Ives ^ Marazion ^ Penzance (17B), every hour each way
- Penzance ^ Lands End (1/1A), every hour each way
- Lands End ^ St Just ^ St Ives (300), 3 journeys each way per day
^ Most journeys on 17B and 1/1A will be run with open top buses, giving a higher frequency of open top service than last year and before
^ For 2014, we are trialling the use of a vintage double deck bus on the 300 serving the north coast route between Lands End and St Ives. In fine weather, we may switch this to open top operation
^ Concessionary passes will be fully valid on 1/1A and 17B, but not on 300, although we will offer a commercial, non-subsidised discount to passholders wishing to travel
^ Services will connect across Penzance and Lands End in both directions, allowing customers to continue their journey around the circular route formed by these three services
Timetables will be published on our website very shortly. We are also producing a West Cornwall Explorers guide which will be available for when the 300 route launches for the summer from 24 May (and will also include the 1/1A and 17/17B)

What vintage double deckers do First have?

[Southern Stag]

The majority of the open top fleet would probably qualify as vintage itself. Most of the fleet are Volvo Citybuses built in 1986/87. I don't think there's many Volvo Citybuses left in service around the UK^▸ (United Kingdom). I guess that's not what First mean though.

[LiskeardRich]

The majority of the open top fleet would probably qualify as vintage itself. Most of the fleet are Volvo Citybuses built in 1986/87. I don't think there's many Volvo Citybuses left in service around the UK^▸ (United Kingdom). I guess that's not what First mean though.

I was assuming VRs or Leyland Olympians, but not aware of them having any, unless they will be running in conjunction with a preservation group.

Saying that most of the deckers down here in everyday use are touching on being vintage!

[Sleepy]

Somewhat surprised about the use of vintage double Decker on 300 North coast route - surely a big part of the attraction of this service is the open top element ? Will only 3 trips a day be able to cope with peak school holiday loadings, depending on level of discounted fare offered to pass holders.

[Sleepy]

  Just viewed the 2014 timetable on traveline site - the timings from St Ives are not   great, 0915 service is a bit too early IMO^▸ (in my opinion) and 1315 too late for day trips to Land's End ( these are weekday services) Sunday / Bank Hol timetables are better as 4 trips Inc. 1035 ex St Ives.

[LiskeardRich]

Just viewed the 2014 timetable on traveline site - the timings from St Ives are not   great, 0915 service is a bit too early IMO^▸ (in my opinion) and 1315 too late for day trips to Land's End ( these are weekday services) Sunday / Bank Hol timetables are better as 4 trips Inc. 1035 ex St Ives.

0915 is great for the majority who want a full day out, but from your username and your "IMO" I'm assuming not the case for you then.

[GBM]

Staff hearing a vintage bus with a crash box will be running between St Ives & Landsend, and back.  A driver and conductor, with each swapping around at the 'other' end. Current proposals are for that section to be an 11 hour duty.
Not sure how a 1/1a discharging 60 odd people at Landsend plus those staying over at Landsend are going to fit on a 40 or so seater.  Assuming the vintage is going to able to take the strain of such hard work!
Mayhem springs to mind....

[Worcester_Passenger]

09:15 departure may be a clever timing to get concession-holders to pay full fare.

[GBM]

From the sounds of the First publicity, concessions will pay at all times.  How much remains to be seen!
Try explaining that to concessions who have been used to free travel after 09h30 weekdays...........

[LiskeardRich]

09:15 departure may be a clever timing to get concession-holders to pay full fare.

Concessions aren't to be accepted on the 300.

Concessions are not valid on services intended for use as a Tourism service.

[LiskeardRich]

Staff hearing a vintage bus with a crash box will be running between St Ives & Landsend, and back.  A driver and conductor, with each swapping around at the 'other' end. Current proposals are for that section to be an 11 hour duty.
Not sure how a 1/1a discharging 60 odd people at Landsend plus those staying over at Landsend are going to fit on a 40 or so seater.  Assuming the vintage is going to able to take the strain of such hard work!
Mayhem springs to mind....

The CityBus open toppers are 82 seater, so if they turn up full we will need 2 times that capacity on the vintage decker.

[LiskeardRich]

Looks like it will be a Bristol Lodekka on the st Ives to Lands End route from today's facebook posting by first. They've blanked the registration out so no idea as yet which one.

[Brucey]

The timetable for the 300 is now online.  I see there are only three services per day, in each direction, between Lands End and St Ives.

I have contacted First Cornwall to see if Ride Cornwall tickets are accepted on this bus.  (The website says all First buses in Cornwall, so we'll see what they say)

[GBM]

Major changes posted by First

Details of our service changes in mid and west Cornwall from Sunday 1 June 2014 (service 1/1A and 300 change from 24 May):

Service 1/1A (Penzance - Lands End)
We have increased the frequency to offer up to two buses an hour during the summer period (24 May - 31 August inclusive). During this summer season we hope to run an open top on these routes most of the time. Service 1 travels between Penzance and Lands End via Newlyn, Lamorna, St Buryan, Sennen and Sennen Cove. Service 1A travels between Penzance and Lands End via Newlyn, Lamorna, St Buryan, Treen and Porthcurno.

Service U1 (Falmouth Campus - Penryn Campus)
This service is withdrawn, but alternative facilities are available on services 41, Falmouth - Redruth and 88, Falmouth - Newquay via Truro.

Service 2 (Falmouth - Penzance via Helston)
Cornwall Council contract changes have resulted in minor alterations to the Monday to Saturday timetable. The 'short' journeys on Sundays and on public holidays between Goldsithney and Penzance will be withdrawn until Sunday 31 August 2014 inclusive, apart from the 0905hrs Perran Cross Roads to Penzance Bus Station journey. Alternative facilities will be available on new service 17B (Penzance - St Ives via Marazion).

Services 2 and 17B will provide a co-ordinated 30 minute frequency between Marazion and Penzance town centre on Monday to Saturday (except public holidays) daytimes until Saturday 30 August 2014 inclusive.

Service 5 (Lamorna - Penzance)
All journeys on service 5 will be renumbered either 1B via Alverton, Rope Walk or 1C via Newlyn Coombe at the request of Cornwall Council.

Service 1C journeys will no longer serve Roscadghill Parc but alternative facilities will be available on services 11 and 16A. A new 'shopperbus' facility will be provided on Monday to Saturday (except public holidays) from Lansdowne Estate, Boswergy to Penzance town centre departing at 1056hrs and returning from Green Market at 1328hrs.

Service 6 (Mousehole - Penzance)
Additional journeys will operate on Sunday and public holidays until Sunday 31 August 2014 providing a bus every 30 minutes between Mousehole Old Coastguard Hotel and Penzance Bus Station via Newlyn between 0905hrs and 1735hrs.

Services 10/10A (Morvah - Penzance)
Cornwall Council contract changes have resulted in minor alterations. Service 10A journeys will no longer serve Roscadghill Parc though alternative facilities will be available on services 11 and 16A. The 0610hrs Penzance Bus Station to St Just Bus Terminus and the 0638hrs St Just Bus Terminus to Madron Trelawney Estate journeys on Monday to Friday will be withdrawn due to very low customer demand. An additional 0640hrs Penzance Bus Station to Madron Trelawney Estate journey will operate on Monday to Friday.

Service 11 (Penzance Town Service)
New service 11 will operate hourly on Monday to Saturday daytime between 0900hrs and 1725hrs between Eastern Green Sainsburys and Roscadghill Parc via Penzance Bus Station, Penzance Town Centre and Pendennis Road. Manor Way will be served once on every return journey to and from Roscadghill Parc.

Service 16A, Penzance - St Ives, will provide a morning peak journey on Monday to Saturday from Roscadghill Parc to Penzance Bus Station and an evening peak journey from Penzance Bus Station to Roscadghill Parc via the service 11 routing, including Manor Way.

Services 13/13A (Camborne - Penzance)
All journeys on service 13 will be renumbered 39A and all journeys on service 13A will be renumbered 39B at the request of Cornwall Council.

Services 14/14A/18 (St Ives/Penzance - Truro via Hayle, Camborne and Redruth)
There will be minor changes to the eastbound Monday to Friday morning peak timetable from St Ives/Penzance to Truro via Hayle, Camborne and Redruth and to the westbound Monday to Friday evening peak timetable from Truro to Penzance/St Ives via Redruth, Camborne and Hayle.

New service 14A will operate on Sunday and public holidays daytime until Sunday 31 August 2014 inclusive every two hours between St Ives and Truro via Hayle, Hayle Towans, Camborne and Redruth.

Services 16 and 16A (Penzance - St Ives)
The routing and timetables for these services will be extensively revised.

Monday to Saturday off-peak journeys will no longer be diverted via Manor Way and Pendennis Road, but through facilities to and from Penzance Town Centre will be maintained. Most journeys will operate via Eastern Green Sainsburys at the request of Cornwall Council. Journeys before 1000hrs and after 1600hrs will also be diverted via Penbeagle Estate, St Ives to meet customer requests.

The morning peak journey from St Ives to Penzance and the evening peak journey from Penzance to St Ives, which were both withdrawn in November 2013, will be reinstated at the request of customers. Separate journeys will be provided for commuters from Gurnards Head and Zennor to Penzance on service 16A.

Service 17/17A (Penzance - St Ives)
The timetable will be revised during the summer months with journeys diverted via St Ives Holiday Village on Monday to Saturday (except public holidays) evenings. Alternative facilities will be provided on new service 17B between Penzance - St Ives via Marazion.

Service 17B (Penzance - St Ives via Marazion)
This new service will operate hourly on Monday to Saturday daytime and on Sunday and public holidays (including evenings) between Penzance Town Centre and St Ives via Penzance Bus Station, Marazion, St Erth Railway Station, St Ives Holiday Village and Carbis Bay. During the summer season (until 31 August) we hope to run an open top on this route most of the time.

Service X18 (Penzance - Truro via Hayle)
This service is withdrawn. Alternative facilities are available between Penzance Bus Station and Truro Bus Station via Hayle on services 14, St Ives - Truro, and 18, Penzance - Truro, and between Penzance Bus Station and Roscadghill Parc on services 11, Penzance Town Service, and 16A, Penzance - St Ives.

Service 27 (St Austell - Truro)
The timetable for this service will be extensively revised, but the hourly frequency on Monday to Saturday daytime and the routing remain unchanged. The afternoon school day journeys from Richard Lander School to Truro Bus Station will be transferred to service 88.

Services 35/35A (Falmouth - Helston via Helford Passage)
The routing and timetables for these services will be extensively revised, but an hourly frequency on Monday to Saturday daytime between Falmouth and Helford Passage and five through journeys between Falmouth and Helston will be maintained. All journeys between Falmouth and Helford Passage and all journeys between Falmouth and Helston via Helford Passage will be numbered service 35, while all journeys between Falmouth and Helston which operate direct between Falmouth Hospital and Lamanva Cross will be numbered 35A.

There are two changes to the existing routings:-

 - certain journeys are extended beyond Helston Coinagehall Street to operate to and from Albion Road and Bulwark Road (as service 36 journeys will no longer be diverted via Albion Road and Bulwark Road)
- the routing of all journeys serving the 'Acacia Road loop' is altered so that all buses operating the 'Acacia Road loop' will pass Falmouth Hospital TWICE - journeys from Falmouth The Moor will operate the 'Acacia Road loop' in the clockwise direction, while journeys to Falmouth The Moor will operate the 'Acacia Road loop in the anti-clockwise direction (the REVERSE of the current routings around the 'loop'). This change is been made at the request of local bus users, supported by Cornwall councillors, to improve access to the facilities (e.g. health centre, pharmacy) on the Falmouth Hospital campus.

Additional journeys will be provided on Monday to Friday (except public holidays) at 0703hrs from Falmouth Conway Gardens to Falmouth The Moor and at 1845hrs from Falmouth The Moor to Falmouth Conway Gardens in response to customer requests.

Service 36 (Coverack - Truro via Helston)
The routing and timetables for this service will be extensively revised with buses providing through facilities between Coverack/St Keverne and Truro via RNAS Culdrose, Helston, Stithians and Perranwell. An additional afternoon journey will be provided on Monday to Saturday from Helston to Truro, as well as an extra late afternoon return journey between Stithians and Truro via Perranwell.

The current journeys on Monday to Friday at 0612hrs from Helston Tesco to Coverack Car Park and at 0632hrs from Coverack Car Park to Helston Tesco will be withdrawn due to very low customer demand. Service 36 journeys will no longer be diverted via Albion Road and Bulwark Road, Helston. Alternative facilities are available on services 35/35A, Falmouth " Helston.

Journeys between Helston Coinagehall Street and Truro Bus Station on Sunday and public holidays will be extended to and from Helston Sainsburys (for Flambards theme park).

Service 37 (Redruth - The Lizard)
The timetable for this service will be extensively revised, with the restoration of many through journeys on Monday to Saturday daytime and evenings between Redruth Railway Station, RNAS Culdrose, Mullion and The Lizard - additional journeys will be provided to and from Redruth Railway Station on Saturday until Saturday 30 August 2014 inclusive.

The revised timetable has been designed to considerably improve connectivity in Helston Town Centre with other First South West buses and at Redruth Railway Station with First Great Western trains to and from Exeter St Davids, London Paddington and Plymouth.

Buses on Sunday and public holidays will operate every two hours between Redruth Railway Station and The Lizard The Green via Helston.

Service 39 (Camborne - Helston)
There are no changes to this timetable at this time

Services 41/41A (Camborne - Falmouth via Redruth)
The section of route between Camborne Bus Station and Redruth Railway Station and the service number 41A are withdrawn. Alternative facilities are available on services 14/14A/18, St Ives/Penzance -Truro via Camborne and Redruth.

The timetable for service 41 is extensively revised but buses will continue to operate between Falmouth and Redruth every 30 minutes on Monday to Saturday daytime; every hour on Monday to Saturday evenings and on Sunday and public holidays daytime (a doubling of the existing two-hourly frequency on Sunday and public holidays).

One journey per hour between 0800hrs and 1800hrs on Monday to Friday will be extended to begin from Falmouth Campus, Wood Lane.

Service 45 (Camborne - Helston)
There are some minor changes to the timetable and journey times.

Service 46 (Camborne - Truro via Redruth)
There are no changes to this timetable at this time

Service 47 (Troon - Truro via Camborne and Redruth)
A revised timetable will operate on Monday to Saturday evenings (except public holidays) and on Sunday and Public Holidays with buses operating every two hours over the full route between Troon and Truro via Camborne and Redruth, thereby restoring buses at these times to Carharrack, Crofthandy and St Day which were withdrawn in November 2013.

Service 68 (Falmouth Town Service)
A revised timetable will operate. All journeys will be extended beyond the Golden Bank 'turning point' at the junction of Treveglos Road and Treverbyn Road to operate in a 'clockwise loop' via Treveglos Road, Penhale Road, Trenoweth Road, Swans Reach, Boscundle Avenue and Treveglos Road in response to customer requests to serve new housing developments.

Service 68A (Falmouth - Helford Passage)
This service is withdrawn. Alternative facilities are available on service 35, Falmouth - Helston via Helford Passage.

Service 69 (Falmouth - Truro via Mylor Bridge)
A slightly revised timetable will operate between Falmouth and Flushing/Mylor Bridge.

A new 'shopperbus' facility will operate on Monday to Friday from Penryn Bohelland Rise depart 0958hrs, via Flushing (depart 1005hrs), Mylor Bridge (depart 1012hrs), Perranwell and Carnon Downs to Truro Bus Station. The return journey will depart from Truro Bus Station at 1405hrs.

Service 69A (Falmouth - Mabe Burnthouse)
A slightly revised timetable will operate between Falmouth and Mabe Burnthouse.

Service 69B (Penryn College - Stithians)
This new service will operate on school days only between Penryn College and Stithians Cross Roads via Ponsanooth and Pelean Cross.

Service 82 (Helston - Truro)
This service is withdrawn. Alternative facilities are available on service 36 Coverack - Truro via Helston.

Service 88 (Falmouth - Newquay via Truro)
The timetable is extensively revised but buses will continue to operate between Falmouth and Truro every 30 minutes, with buses extended to and from Newquay every hour on Monday to Saturday daytime.

Buses will operate between Falmouth and Truro every hour on Monday to Saturday evenings and on Sunday and Public Holidays daytime. The 0545hrs Truro Bus Station to Newquay Bus Station and the 0640hrs Newquay Bus Station to Truro Bus Station journeys on Monday to Friday will be withdrawn due to very low customer demand.

One journey per hour between 0800hrs and 1800hrs on Monday to Friday will be diverted between Falmouth Dracaena Cross Roads and Falmouth The Moor to operate via Falmouth Campus, Wood Lane.

Additional journeys will be provided on school days only from Richard Lander School departing at 1530hrs to Carnon Downs via Playing Place and Devoran and to Truro Bus Station via Malabar Estate

Service 101 (Luxulyan - St Austell via The Eden Project)
A revised timetable will operate with many journeys been extended beyond St Austell Railway Station to operate to and from St Austell Town Centre. In addition, a limited number of journeys on Monday to Saturday will be extended to serve Luxulyan.

Service 300 (St Ives - Geevor Tin Mine - Sennen Cove - Land's End)
Introduced for the summer season (daily from 24 May - 31 August inclusive) but this year with a twist. It will now only run between St Ives and Lands End (it used to run Penzance - St Ives - Lands End - Penzance as a circular) However the good news is for most journeys it will be operated by a vintage double decker bus. This offers passengers a trip down memory lane as well as a trip to some great landmarks and attractions such as Geevor Tin Mine, Sennen Cove, Morvah and the attractions and views of Lands End . There are three trips a day in each direction from Monday to Saturday and four on Sundays and public holidays.

New timetables are available to download individually on our website - click here to view them here:
Comprehensive timetable guides for all our routes in Cornwall will available from our travel shops in Penzance and Truro bus stations from the end of May.