CORNWALL Council has been allocated up to £500,000 for a pilot to explore how changing the public transport commissioning model to one involving bus franchising could help support geographically spread out communities like those in the Duchy.

The Department for Transport has said it is extending the programme to include Cornwall.

The pilot will help identify the most effective approach to managing bus services and provide crucial evidence to inform future bus service planning and help us build a more effective public transport network.

Bus franchising is a method of commissioning services whereby the routes and contractor would decided by Cornwall Council, similar to that enjoyed in London and Manchester.

The announcement of Cornwall’s involvement in the pilot scheme comes ahead of the Government’s bus services bill which, according to the Labour administration, ‘will end the plight of bus routes being scrapped at short notice, tightening requirements for cancelling vital bus routes, particularly those used by vulnerable or disadvantaged passengers.’

As part of the bill, the council will identify socially necessary local services, and working with bus operators, put in place stricter requirements before these services can be changed or cancelled.

Cllr Dan Rogerson, Cornwall Council cabinet member for transport welcomed the pilot, said: “We know how important bus services are in connecting communities across the county and how much our residents rely on them. Our inclusion in the pilot study reflects our work to date in bringing together Cornwall’s bus operators and the collective vision we have to improve bus services for residents.

“Delivering a bus network in rural areas has it challenges, particularly in the current financial climate. What works in cities doesn’t necessarily work in rural areas. This will give us the chance to come up with new ways of providing bus services and options that meet the needs of our passengers.”