High Expectations
A couple of years ago, bus watchers in Cornwall were gobsmacked when First Bus introduced a whole range of "tourist" related services. There was the network of "Day Trippers" with interchange at the Eden Project, giving visitors the opportunity of a vast range of interconnecting day trip options.
There was a clue in the name.
The brave scheme did not really work. Journey times were too long, leaving insufficient time to immerse yourself in the delights of, for example, Newquay.
The organisation and execution was impressive; the number of passengers wasn't!
There was also an outburst of open top services with everything branded as .. .
... complete with excellent printed and on-line publicity.
In fact the idea had potential, but First rapidly abandoned the Eden Project interchange services - but most of the open top expansion remained.
The Newquay open top town service was the first to go ...
... with a quick farewell to S1, S2 and S3.
Howiever, the spectacular Atlantic Coaster to Padstow remains.
Of course it used to run all the way from St Ives ...
... so another cutback.
The Sunseeker "brand" has disappeared from Cornwall ...
And the Lizards are no more. Once running every hour ...
... the service was slowly reduced ...
... and nothing now remains. Once there were connecting buses, not open top, but still Lizards ...
... of which the above was just one example. The Lizard network came with a wonderful printed leaflet!
The livery (surely from the Bearded Bus Beautifier from the Bush) was magnificent ...
... so why did it fail?
One reason is that First lost the tender for the "ordinary" service to the Lizard, so was in competition wth Buses of Cornwall, the new incumbent. Apparently, without the "local" passengers, there was not enough money coming into the bag for commercial success.
Roger French enjoyed (?) a trip on the Falmouth Coaster in the pouring rain!
Despite some good literature ...
... and enthusiasm from many other parties, Falmouth will be bereft of buses without lid for this this season.
There is a similar town service from Buses for Cornwall running every 20 minutes and, although a small midibus, you are guaranteed to be under cover!
First has cited "Staff Shortages" for some of these cutbacks, but, unless the summer has come as a great calendric surprise to senior management, the company has had all winter to recruit enough staff.
Poor excuse!
At least the Lands End Coaster ...
... remains in the catalogue; but the Tin Coaster ...
... is another casualty of First's business plan (assuming the company still has one!).
fbb commented that the timetable booklet he had just received was dated for March 2024 ...
... but a July update is available on-line.
But it is not just open tops that have been closed down!
There are signs of further retrenchment and tinkering in First's commercial network.
Well, that is a surprise!
Next Commercial Fail blog : Friday 12th July
Buses of Cornwall?
ReplyDelete"is another casualty of First's business plan (assuming the company still has one!)."
ReplyDeleteFirst and Business plan, I never thought I would ever see the words together, infact I didn't think they ever had one!