Waiting for buses ruined my son’s trip to Cornwall

10:43am Wednesday 8th August 2012 in Letters

 Your last week’s copy of Packet, reading A Letter From BM Goldsworthy- “Left Stranded Twice By Bus Service” - has prompted me to write my story to you, for printing I hope.

Last week my son came from overseas, for the Olympics, and came to see me for two days, Wednesday and Thursday, here in Cornwall, by National Bus/Coach, from London.

He was very keen on seeing The Lizard , Goonhilly and Mullion. We had to use “First Buses.” I planned the trip in this way:

1. We get the Number 35 at 08.08am to Falmouth Moor.

2. We get the Number 2 to Helston at 08.25am, but at Falmouth we wait at Dracaena Avenue stop (saves five minutes both buses.)

3. We arrive at Helston at 09.12am and await Number 39 to Lizard etc, which should be 09.52am, using bus route timetable book.

What a disaster that turned out.

1. The Number 35 was 15 minutes late.

2. We had to wait nearly two hours for the next Number 2.

3. We arrive at Helston at 10.20am.

4. We wait for the Number 37, nothing came, we were waiting in the street for about two and a half hours, when it was too late and we had to get back.

We finally got a bus Number 35 and headed home. What a complete waste of a day, especially for my son who was very upset about it all. And whose fault? I suggest they start playing with “Corgi” toys and get the previous bus company back.

Stuart Falmouth

Comments(35)

Gill Zella Martin says...
11:49am Wed 8 Aug 12

I also waited two and a half hours for the 37 last week at the Blue Anchor bus stop in Helston, the 14:52 never arrived and the 15:52 arrived at 16:25. I notify Cornwall Council Passenger Transport Unit on a frequent basis.

Yesterday my bus was 15 mins late yet again from Mullion to Helston and the driver had poor driving skills, aggressively tailgating another motorist in Coinagehall Street and hooting and then driving through red lights. I have been a driver for over thirty years and found this standard of driving of a public service vehicle appalling.

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meerkats says...
4:06pm Wed 8 Aug 12

How much longer are First going to get away with this appalling service. Nearly every week there is a complaint about their service, yet nothing seems to be done. Recently heard that the driver wouldnt stop to let someone off near the spar roundabout in Helston as it wasnt a stop but it obviously depends on who is driving or what mood they are in as i have seen the buses stop there many times. Its a shame they got the contract.

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Gill Zella Martin says...
5:15pm Wed 8 Aug 12

Just travelled back to Mullion from Helston on a clapped out old double decker, for the first time in ages it actually arrived in Mullion only 3 mins late. There was a Cornwall Council employee on board. Hope he finished his journey without having a breakdown, hope the bus got there ok as well. :)

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meerkats says...
9:36pm Wed 8 Aug 12

Another black mark for First. my mum was waiting for the St Keverne bus this afternoon at the bottom of Trengrouse Way and after a lengthy wait ,was told by a cornwall council official that the no 35 and 36 buses were not coming down that way,even though the n.o 35 had already passed them. He couldnt explain why. The Lizard bus came down so she boarded that and asked for the Gunwalloe turning stop (there was a stop there with Greyhound) he said he wouldnt stop there for her as there isnt a stop. She argued her case but he wouldnt listen so she had a choice to wait nearly 2 hrs for another bus or bother someone for a lift. She chose the 2nd option at least she knew she would get home .People need a reliable service and First are just not providing it

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telstar1962 says...
10:35pm Wed 8 Aug 12

I am also aware of numerous problems on the St Keverne/Helston route in the last 7 days including Ox Roast confusion regarding signage, very old buses breaking down,and no replacements appearing.

The bus travellers deserve much better than the third rate 'service' which First are trying to provide.

Bus travellers on First have my deepest sympathy and if I was the owner of a travel company I would be showing more respect to my passengers

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Gill Zella Martin says...
7:14am Thu 9 Aug 12

meerkats, it is a small world. I was at that same bus stop with my mum and we spoke to your mum. I was annoyed that the driver of the 37 said he would not stop for her on the Culdrose Road, like you say, Western Greyhound used to. This is not a customer service. The 37 is a hail and ride route anyway so there is no unsafe reason why the driver should not have dropped your mum off, particularly given the fact the 36 was re routed.

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DCI Jen says...
7:45am Thu 9 Aug 12

If they want people to visit the night market in Helston then best they sort out the buses because at the moment it is a shambles. I am lucky because in Falmouth i don't need to rely on the buses. Was the night market worth the visit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Gill Zella Martin says...
1:59pm Thu 9 Aug 12

12:52 37 from the Blue Anchor Helston to the Lizard never turned up, all had to wait another hour for this 13:52, so now it is full up. Another cancelled 37:(

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telstar1962 says...
3:04pm Thu 9 Aug 12

Hello Zella and everyone else who is being affected by First's inefficiency.

Would it be an idea to keep a log for the next 10 days,say,regarding this poor service, and then present it via the Packet (with publicity) to First,and see if this brings about a response ?

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Michael_M says...
3:33pm Thu 9 Aug 12

First are a terrible company and the attitude of the drivers is also very bad.

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Gill Zella Martin says...
4:51pm Thu 9 Aug 12

telstar1962, I do keep a record because every time there is a cancellation or major delay I e-mail Cornwall Council's Passenger Transport Unit. They had a meeting with 'First' but it obviously did not acheive much. They keep pressing 'First' to respond to my e-mails that they have forwarded to them but so far I have received no answers at all.
Cornwall Council's PTU always afford me the courtesy of a prompt reply.
'First's' so called customer service number is also permanently engaged or else rings until it disconnects.

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telstar1962 says...
11:53pm Thu 9 Aug 12

I was suggesting that everyone with a problem,not just Zella,should keep a log and pass the information on to First.

If all else fails, then this is a case of the service provider blatantly failing in its duty of service,and I suggest the local MP should at least be informed and advice sought from him as to how this unsatisfactory situation may be resolved. I believe that First receive grants/subsidies for running this service, and that they should be brought to book regarding this less than average provision

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Gill Zella Martin says...
5:46am Fri 10 Aug 12

telstar, I completely agree with you. One lady that spoke to me previously said she had written to MP Andrew George, however, that was quite a while ago. Additionaly, still nothing has been agreed upon regarding stopping at the top of town in Meneage Rd before the Spar roundabout. What is the point in a bus service for villagers that takes you into the town but then only wants to stop at the one stop at the bottom of town. A long time ago it was stated that the council was liasing with 'First' over this but still nothing has resulted from it. This should have been thought about before they were given the contract.

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Gill Zella Martin says...
5:58am Fri 10 Aug 12

Incidentally, why is ok for a bus company to get away with a service like this and yet when a train operating company carried on like this the government stepped in and took the franchise away from them before it ran out.

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meerkats says...
7:53pm Fri 10 Aug 12

H Glover the 1st gold medal winner is to ride through Penzance in an open top bus .good luck to her if First are providing it.!! I am lucky enough to live in town so dont need to use the buses . but i used to use the Mawgan to Helston bus frequently when Greyhound operated it and never had any problems and the drivers were polite too.

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Gill Zella Martin says...
8:35pm Fri 10 Aug 12

Yes the Western Greyhound service was good and reliable and all the drivers were cheerful and helpful.
They ran appropriate size buses as well for the narrow lanes which were additionally easier to negotiate the obstacles with, the buses obviously used less fuel and the fares were cheaper. The buses were all easy access on the 37 route which was ideal for a route with a large percentage of elderly people using it.

'First' are unreliable on a regular basis, the fares cost more, some of the buses are ridiculously noisy or smell of fumes and are not all easy access and therefore no good for wheelchair users or some elderly people. Not all the drivers are helpful or cheerful. However, there are many good drivers, particularly the ones that used to be the Truronian drivers, and it can't be much fun for the drivers to have to drive clapped out old buses. It is 'First' management that should be held accountable for the failings.

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meerkats says...
9:23pm Fri 10 Aug 12

it would do the mana gers good to get out of their probably airconditioned office with luxurious fittings and travel on these smelly boneshakers for a day and see what pressure the drivers are under. i agree the Truronian drivers were good.

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DCI Jen says...
4:41pm Sat 11 Aug 12

The 37 was half hour late this morn.

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1eviledna says...
7:02pm Sat 11 Aug 12

I have given up using the 34 bus between Redruth and Helston. I have used it since 1990 and it was always reliable no matter which company ran it. Now it is unusable, regularly over 45 mins late, heaven help anyone who needs to connect with a train. I now have to get from Helston to Redruth via Camborne, it takes 3 times longer but at least it turns up. First is closing its customer services office in Plymouth and is moving it to Dorset/Hampshire, that is how much they care.

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Gill Zella Martin says...
8:17pm Sat 11 Aug 12

Well I hope they take all their buses with them to Dorset. The 10:00 Mullion to Helston 37 was 15 mins late this morn again and the driver tried to charge me £4.90 return to Helston instead of £4.10. The return double decker bus had fumes emmiting from the engine. Nothing new really then. Oh yes, and in Helston a bus came in again to the stop with no number on the visual display unit so I asked the driver what number it was, he replied 35 in an obviously less than happy manner. Another lady waiting said to me, "oh he is happy then" !!

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meerkats says...
8:20pm Sat 11 Aug 12

a lot of people rely on the buses fto get to appointments etc ,which can be stressful without the added stress of late or non existent buses. First obviously arent interested in people so they should withdraw their contract and give it back to Greyhound. DCI Jen its just not good enough ,did you make a complaint and were they apologetic if you did ?

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DCI Jen says...
6:00am Sun 12 Aug 12

I don"t use the 37 very often but any time i do they are always late, no the drivers havn"t apologised, when i ask why it is late they just say they got blocked in somewhere by something, always seems to be the double deckers. The ones i have been on the drivers never apologise. You can never get through to customer services.

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TheOriginaDelboy says...
3:22pm Mon 13 Aug 12

DCI Jen wrote:
If they want people to visit the night market in Helston then best they sort out the buses because at the moment it is a shambles. I am lucky because in Falmouth i don't need to rely on the buses. Was the night market worth the visit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good Afternoon Jen,

You refer to "they" in your message twice but it appears unclear who "they" are.

If you are referring to the bus service, I doubt the bus service is bothered either way if people go to the night markets.

If you are referring to the local council, they have little to do with the markets apart from allowing us to hold them and they probably have very little control over the quality of bus service.

The markets have been organised by the Helston Business Improvement Partnership (HBIP) which is a collection of business owners, the town manager and a couple of town councillors. We do not control or have any say in what the bus service is does.

We are thankful to them for agreeing to divert from going down Meneage Street so that we can have the market.

Was the market worth a visit? Despite our poor advertising (due to time restraints) it went very well, the traders feedback was good. So I guess the answer to your question, is yes, it's worth a visit and it's on every Wednesday in August from 2pm to 8:30pm.

Regards.

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meerkats says...
4:05pm Mon 13 Aug 12

will it be the same stalls each week ,i did visit the market last week which was nice but wouldnt want to go again if there is going to be exactly the same this week.

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1eviledna says...
4:47pm Mon 13 Aug 12

I thought this site was all about trying to improve an unreliable bus service, not about night markets.

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meerkats says...
6:16pm Mon 13 Aug 12

point taken,but dont think the bus service will improve as nothing seem. but First just dont care,s to be done about it. passengers continually complain when they get through of customer services eventually

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meerkats says...
6:19pm Mon 13 Aug 12

try again. point taken ,but dont think the bus service will improve as nothing seems to be done about it. Passengers continually complain when they can eventually get through to customer services. First JUST DONT CARE !!

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DCI Jen says...
7:35pm Mon 13 Aug 12

TheOriginaDelboy, when i said they, i meant anyone who is interested in promoting Helston town centre and the market, for example the town manager, seeing as he is paid to do just that. I would like to come into Helston to try the market but after reading about the lady whos bus was not diverted down Trengrouse Way and she would have had to wait another two hours or get a lift, it kind of puts me off. It is all very well promoting a town but part and parcel of that is making sure the transport is reliable for people. Surely the more people the better, not just those that live in the town.

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telstar1962 says...
9:34pm Mon 13 Aug 12

Instead of just moaning on this site,my idea is that the Town Manager should be approached (he even may read these comments) and a log could be kept by his secretary,anyone with a genuine complaint or criticism of the Bus service,it can be compiled,and one month later the data can be forwarded by the Town Centre Manager/Secretary to First,requesting that a proper service is afforded to the area.

It is only a suggestion, I don't know if travellers complaints are that serious or if they really want action, but these are my thoughts on the situation.

The Town Centre Manager should be the person to get involved, and he may just earn his money if he did

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Gill Zella Martin says...
9:49pm Mon 13 Aug 12

I went to the market and bought some things, however, I probably would not go again because the buses are too unreliable. The 37 route is bad enough during the day but to wait around in the evening for a possibly delayed or cancelled bus is even worse.

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Gill Zella Martin says...
10:23pm Mon 13 Aug 12

telstar1962, I completely agree with you. Yes my complaints are serious about the 37 route and I am by no means the only person using this route that feels this way. Like I said in the past, one lady told me she has written to MP Andrew George. I e-mail Cornwall Council Passenger Transport Unit on a regular basis. Another gentleman using the route regularly said he writes to the PTU as well.

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telstar1962 says...
9:47am Tue 14 Aug 12

Zella, if contacting the M.P. and PTU has failed, then, at the risk of repeating myself, do you not think that to galvanise the support of the Helston Town Centre Manager, and to have an organized complaint dosier for a period of say,one month, and for that to be forwarded to First, with copies to the local M.P, PTU, press/newspapers etc, would be about the only course of action left available.

This would need only one individual who has been affected by this poor service to approach the Town Centre Managers Secretary with this proposition,failing which I would be willing to receive all genuine complaints by e-mail and pass them on as stated, in one month's time

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Gill Zella Martin says...
12:32pm Tue 14 Aug 12

telstar, I will do. This would of course need the cooperation of the town manager.

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petergg says...
1:36pm Tue 14 Aug 12

If Jake Riding can help spotlight the poor service about the litter, then I am sure Zella can do the same for the Bus Service from First

Good luck

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meerkats says...
1:46pm Tue 14 Aug 12

good luck to both telstar and zella .lets hope the town manager will cooperate and support them because quite simply if people cant rely on buses they will not be going into Helston to spend money.

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