BUS services across Cornwall are set to face significant disruption from Wednesday as RMT members begin strike action across the Go Cornwall Bus network.

The first of six planned days of industrial action by members of the RMT union will take place on Wednesday, November 18, with further strikes scheduled for November 25 and December 2, 9, 16 and 23.

Transport for Cornwall said it would not be cancelling the wider local bus network and would operate as many services as it safely and reliably could with the staff available.

However, passengers have been warned to expect significant and unpredictable disruption, as individual journeys cannot be confirmed in advance.

Truro Park and Ride will not be affected.

Transport for Cornwall said cancellations would be published as soon as they became known, with updates throughout each strike day.

Passengers have been urged to check information before travelling and plan their return journey. They have also been advised not to rely on the first or last scheduled bus of the day. Vulnerable passengers, those travelling with children and anyone making an essential journey have been advised to make alternative arrangements wherever possible.

Particular warnings have been issued to families and carers arranging school and college travel.

Transport for Cornwall said its first priority on strike days was keeping passengers safe, particularly children, young people and vulnerable passengers.

It has advised parents and carers to make alternative arrangements for children travelling to school or college on affected days, warning them not to assume another local bus will be suitable simply because it serves an educational establishment.

The operator said it could not know in advance which journeys it would have the resources to operate, and warned that the availability of a bus for the outward journey did not mean a return service would be available later in the day.

On strike days when schools and colleges are open, dedicated school and college contract services, dedicated education services and wider network journeys specifically scheduled to provide education transport will be suspended.

These journeys are typically marked in timetables as “School Day only” or “Truro College Day only”.

Transport for Cornwall said a full list of suspended school and college journeys would be published. Other local bus services might still operate, but families and carers have been warned not to rely on them as an alternative for school or college journeys.

The planned strikes are not the only industrial action affecting the network. RMT members have also been taking action short of a strike since October 25, including an overtime ban, a ban on rest-day working and refusing reduced meal breaks. Those measures will continue between the notified strike dates.

Transport for Cornwall apologised for the disruption and uncertainty the action would cause, and said it would continue monitoring services and providing updates through its usual channels.

Passengers are being urged to check service updates before every journey on strike days and make alternative travel plans if they cannot risk being left without a bus.

Further service details will be shared as they become available.