Western Greyhound Pulls Out of St Austell Rail Station

[whole diary]

[StuartStIves]

On 1 April, Western Greyhound's bus services will cease to serve the transport interchange at St Austell Railway Station.  It is not clear why they have chosen to do this - there is no explanation on their website.  For services 524/525/526/527 (to Fowey, Mevagissey, Gorran Haven, Eden Project) this will not be too inconvenient as the buses will still serve Kings Avenue / Carlyon Road a short walk from the station. However services 520/521/522/529 (to the Clay Villages, Bodmin, Newquay and Truro) will depart from Trinity Street a hefty walk to the other side of town from the station (and a very steep climb uphill when walking towards the station). The only bus services continuing to call at the Transport Interchange will be the First service 27 to Truro and 101 to the Eden Project  With First Group refusing to serve the proposed transport interchange at St Erth (except for its Summer only Open top service) it makes you wonder why we should bother building these facilities.  If you object to this change - which I believe is the first time on these routes that St Austell station has not been served since GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) days - Email info@westerngreyhound.com

[old original]

I believe it's because there is no banksman provided (someone to supervise buses reversing out of the bays)

[JayMac]

I believe it's because there is no banksman provided (someone to supervise buses reversing out of the bays)

Would that really be a reason? Would Western Greyhound forego revenue from St Austell station just because buses need someone to help them reverse? Don't WGs fleet have mirrors? 

OK. I'm not familiar with the layout of the transport interchange at St Austell, but was it really designed in such a way that a 'banksman' was required?

[LiskeardRich]

I believe it is due to lack of banksman and health and safety, as has been several near misses with people walking behind reversing buses

[JayMac]

Health and Safety? Jeez. 

<pedant alert> Surely a 'near miss' is a hit?

"Well Officer, I nearly missed him....."

[Chris from Nailsea]

I believe it is due to lack of banksman and health and safety, as has been several near misses with people walking behind reversing buses

Those will be the people who choose to walk behind a huge road vehicle with its hazard and reversing lights flashing, and with a raucous announcement that "Caution: This Vehicle Is REVERSING" ringing in their ears?

How would the addition of a banksman to that scenario improve 'elfin safety', pray? 

[chrisoates]

And how many millions have recently been spent (over a looooong period) upgrading the place

Some Visitors might find it more convenient to start/end their adventures from Par station - I visit Heligan/Mevagissey/Charlestown/Fowey and quite often end up at Par to get fish 'n chips at Val's Plaice. 
   

[chrisoates]

I believe it is due to lack of banksman and health and safety, as has been several near misses with people walking behind reversing buses

If this is the case I wonder if the remaining services will start from near the old Police Station behind the Railway Station as they did when the Bus Station was closed.

[inspector_blakey]

They have buses west of the Tamar?!

[vacman]

Or sour grapes for Western Greyhound losing a load of routes to First maybe?

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

How far away from the station is the closest bus stop for the Eden project?

[old original]

reading the local rag, the banksman issue is the main reason along with the amount WG have to pay First to use the bus station.

How far away from the station is the closest bus stop for the Eden project?

For Eden First run the 101 service from the bus station and from 1st April WG service 527 will run from Kings Avenue about 60 yds "up-the-road" from the station...http://www.westerngreyhound.com/route_pdf/527.pdf

[smokey]

Bearing in Mind that at ONE time Buses had a Driver and a Conductor, whenever the Bus had to reverse the conductor would act as the Banksman.

It's still written in the Omnibus rules that for a Bus to Reverse, "a servant of the company will act as Banksman"
Note: PC Plod or other Office of the Law may act in the role as "the servant of the company"

I found this out on a Bus Journey down a Lane in Sunny Cornwall, Granny Smith (made up name) refused to reverse her car saying the Bus can reverse, Bus Driver Just shut down the engine and told Passengers we could be in for a long wait as the Police will have to attend.

Granny Smith then took about 20 minutes to reverse her Car about 60 yards!
Reversing should be part of the Driving test!

It will be a Very Sad day when a First Western National bus meets a Western Greyhound Bus on a Narrow line in Cornwall, as by the letter of the Law it's a Police matter (as a FWN driver can't act as a Banksman for WGH or Vice versa).

Stick to the train it's Safer by Rail!

[JayMac]

And to think, many folk have the impression that the rail industry is too fractured and has too much buck passing.

Bus drivers, just use your fupping PSV training and mirrors for cripes sake!

 

[anthony215]

Bus drivers, just use your fupping PSV training and mirrors for cripes sake!

 

What he said   

Then again I have  PSV expereince so I can  express my opinion.

As for the poster who mentioned about the bus driver refusing to reverse the bus back good on them how some women drivers pass their test I don't know I have even see a driver get out of his bus to reverse this womans car down in west wales.