An ‘ambitious’ plan to create sustainable and resilient public transport across Cornwall was approved when Cornwall Council’s cabinet committee met this week.

The Public Transport Improvement Plan sets out a package of measures designed to deliver against the council’s identified priorities:

• Simpler and more cost-effective fares for all as part of the Bus Fares Pilot
• Cheaper fares for young people to encourage them to become life-long bus users
• An integrated bus network, with enhanced services that are better aligned
• One set of integrated information for all – easier to plan and use the network
• More reliable bus journey times and better routing to make journeys faster
• Continued improvement in our infrastructure that supports the council’s services

Introducing the plans, Cllr Philip Desmonde, portfolio holder for transport, said it was vital that more people began to use public transport in order to ensure the plans are a success.

He told the meeting: “I would like to take this opportunity to encourage all of our residents to make use of the wonderful bus services we have in Cornwall.

“Not only will increased use from the Covid period protect the viability of these services, it will give confidence to our partners to invest and increase service availability. We have worked hard to deliver this good news story which is still evolving, so please use and enjoy our public transport.”

Also approved by the cabinet was the Prosperous Cornwall 2050 plan, and the Celtic Sea Power Business Plan 2022-26.

The Prosperous Cornwall 2050 plan brings forward a new way of working that supports the council’s priorities and will help shape the plans for how Cornwall’s places should evolve to 2050 and beyond.

It brings together three areas: housing, transport and planning, and is designed to ensure that plans and strategies across the council have the same direction of travel and complement each other.

The Celtic Sea Power Business Plan 2022-26 outlines how the former Wave Hub Ltd site off Hayle will be used to develop a floating offshore wind site, which would form part of efforts to make the UK carbon neutral by 2050.

The plan sets out the activity required to start generating power, how to access funding to support its further development, and how to turn the Celtic Sea Power Ltd from a research organisation into a commercial entity.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Linda Taylor, leader of Cornwall Council, said: “As we approach the first anniversary of our election, it is wonderful to see so many of our campaign pledges being brought into reality.

“Cheaper, more effective and more integrated public transport, enhancing our green energy programme and giving communities more say over the decisions that affect them are all at the forefront of our agenda.

“We are determined to build a better Cornwall where all can start well, live well and age well, and these plans are big steps towards making that a reality.” 

Also on the agenda were reports on the council’s recent financial performance, and reports on the Corserv group of companies.