Go Cornwall school buses to stop on Wednesdays until Christmas

If your child gets the bus to school or college in Cornwall, Wednesdays are about to get complicated. And it could stay that way until Christmas.

Go Cornwall Bus school and college services will be suspended on Wednesdays from 18 November because of planned strike action by some of its drivers, Cornwall Council has announced.

The industrial action involves members of the RMT union and is currently expected to take place every Wednesday until Christmas. Parents and carers whose children rely on these services are being asked to make other travel arrangements on the affected days.

The strike dates

According to Transport for Cornwall’s travel advice page, RMT strike action on the Go Cornwall Bus network falls on:

• Wednesday 18 November
• Wednesday 25 November
• Wednesday 2 December
• Wednesday 9 December
• Wednesday 16 December
• Wednesday 23 December

Cornwall Council’s autumn term ends on Friday 18 December, so most schools will already have broken up by the final date. Academies and colleges set their own term dates, though, so it’s worth checking.

Which buses are affected

On strike days when schools and colleges are open, dedicated school and college contract services and dedicated education services will be suspended. So will journeys on the wider bus network that are scheduled for school or college travel. These are usually marked “School Day only” or “Truro College Day only” in timetables.

Transport for Cornwall says a full list of suspended routes will be published on its travel advice page.

The rest of the local bus network is not cancelled. Services will run as far as the company can safely and reliably manage, but passengers are being warned to expect significant and unpredictable disruption, with cancellations published as soon as they are known. Truro Park and Ride is not affected.

“Our first priority on strike days is keeping passengers safe,” Transport for Cornwall said.

What parents and passengers should do

Transport for Cornwall’s advice for families is:

• Make alternative arrangements for children or students travelling to or from school or college on strike days.
• Don’t rely on another local bus just because it serves or passes the school.
• Remember that a bus being available in the morning doesn’t mean one will be there for the journey home.

Anyone who is vulnerable, travelling with children, making an essential journey or would be at risk if a bus didn’t turn up is advised to make other plans where possible. Passengers are also told not to rely on the first or last scheduled journey of the day, to plan the return trip before setting out, and to check the latest updates on the Transport for Cornwall news page.

Why the buses are affected

The strikes involve members of the RMT union and relate to a dispute over trade union recognition at Go Cornwall Bus.

Transport for Cornwall says RMT members are also taking action short of a strike, including an overtime ban, a ban on rest-day working and no reduced meal breaks.

The Go Cornwall Bus network runs under the Transport for Cornwall name and is operated by Plymouth Citybus Limited, part of the Go-Ahead Group, under licence from Cornwall Council.

📷Credit: Transport for Cornwall