Tenders will ‘focus on the delivery of quality over price,’ according to Council Portfolio Holder for Transport
Cornwall Council has invited operators to submit tenders to run the county’s bus network for a period of eight years, as part of its ambitious ‘One Public Transport System for Cornwall’ (OPTSfC) plans. The Council is developing a fully integrated public transport system which links in with the new timetable on the Cornish main line, and has already seen improvements to bus and rail networks under Cornwall’s ‘Devolution Deal’ programme. This has led to a 5% increase in ridership since last year, and satisfaction levels amongst bus users are at 90%. The Council aims to become carbon neutral by 2030 and sees tendering of the bus network as the next stage in this plan.
Geoff Brown, Cornwall Council Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Transport said: “We want to encourage more people to switch from their cars to using public transport to travel to work and for leisure activities. This means providing reliable bus services which are available when and where passengers want them. By letting the tenders for eight rather than four years we can work with bus operators to invest in the future of our network and ensure we can continue to provide an enjoyable journey experience that meets passengers’ needs. We also want to continue to improve the quality of our public transport. To help us to achieve this aim, these tenders will focus on the delivery of quality over price. This is a significant change and we look forward to receiving tenders from ambitious and forward-thinking operators who share our exciting vision for the future of public transport in Cornwall.
“The past 12 months have seen three bus interchanges upgraded, and the Council has promised that investment and improvement will continue after the tenders are awarded, with more bus and rail interchange upgrades to follow.
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