Council combats coach park concerns
Cornwall Council is addressing concerns over coach parking in Truro.
The worries were raised following reports of a lack of spaces at Truro Coach Park due to buses being parked there.
Cllr Rob Nolan, who sits on both Truro City Council and Cornwall Council, told B&CB that buses from Go Cornwall Bus’s fleet parked in the coach bays at the site mean coaches are unable to safely drop passengers off. The Town Crier, who greets visiting coach parties, tells Rob that coaches regularly arrive but are unable to drop off, so travel elsewhere.
Cornwall Council says Go Cornwall Bus has made use of the space at Truro Coach Park since 2020. Being able to park on the site allows drivers at the Go-Ahead-owned company to access driver facilities as well as support staff and the Network Control Hub.
“We appreciate the importance to Truro’s economy of both visiting coaches and local bus services” – Cornwall Council spokesperson
A council spokesperson said: “We appreciate the importance to Truro’s economy of both visiting coaches and local bus services which bring many people into the city for both work and leisure.
“The agreement to use the site has recently been formalised with the introduction of new signs and parking bays in the Coach Park. There are five bays for Go Cornwall Bus use, six bays for visiting coaches and another bay for the community bus.”
The Council says it has also increased the number of spaces available to coaches visiting Truro and improved the services for coach drivers. There are an additional ten free coach layover bays at the Tregurra Park and Ride site (1.4miles from the Coach Park), with drivers able to use the building’s facilities and park and ride service for free if required after dropping passengers off in the coach park.
The spokesperson continued: “This brings the total number of coach bays available in the city from 11 to 16. We have contacted all local coach operators to advise them of the changes and initial feedback has been positive. The Confederation of Passenger Transport has shared this information with coach operators from further afield and expressed support for this decision. We will consider increasing the number of spaces available if there is a demonstrable need.”
In an email to Richard Williams-Pears, the Cabinet Portfolio holder for Transport at Cornwall Council, shown to B&CB, Cllr Nolan said despite no one noticing the bus parking arrangement at the Coach Park when it was implemented, people are noticing it now and retailers are angry at ‘another blow to the High Street’.
He has asked the Richard Williams-Pears to lobby to get Go Cornwall Bus to move its vehicles from the Coach Park to the city’s Park & Ride site instead.
The Council has reviewed the potential for buses to use the Tregurra Park and Ride site, but said it is not a viable option due to the additional driver resource that would be required.