Truronian Bus Company To Be Sold To FirstGroup

[whole diary]

[Lee]

Truronian has around 70 vehicles, comprising 50 buses and 20 coaches. In addition to its bus routes, the company runs a number of high profile services, such as the Eden Project park and ride scheme (links below.)
http://thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144125&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232510&home=yes&more_nodeId1=232470&contentPK=19867902

http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=19872612&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

The firm launched the first BendiBuses in the region. It also undertakes National Express operations and offers executive coach hire as well as UK^▸ (United Kingdom) and European coach holidays.

Truronian's turnover has grown from around ^200,000 in 1987 to ^8million, and in the last three years the firm has invested more than ^3.5 million in new vehicles.

The company's offices and main depot and workshop are in Truro and it also has an operating base in Helston.

The transaction is subject to clearance from the Office of Fair Trading and completion of the due diligence process, after which the acquisition can take place.

Quote from Truronian :

"Since launching Truronian Ltd in 1987 we have worked immensely hard to build a company that our passengers can respect and trust,"

"The opportunity to be part of the UK's largest surface transport company is definitely good news all round."

Quote from First :

"This is a hugely exciting time for both First and Truronian and I see this acquisition as a good and natural fit for both businesses.

"Not only is this great news for the local economy but Truronian customers will soon have the UK's largest transport company alongside them on their every journey."

[Lee]

The RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) is seeking an early meeting with First over this (link below.)
http://www.rmtbristol.org.uk/2008/02/rmt_seeks_early_meeting_with_f.html#more

[Conner]

NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!
GRRR!
Truronian are an amazing independent company and they are cheaper than First.
First now operate all the bus services around here and they will just cut any ones I can use.
NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!

[Phil]

 

So I take it then that you are broadly speaking against the proposal, qprrule? 

Incidentally, thanks very much for your useful input to the "Local journeys: Plymouth - Penzance" section, which can now be seen here.

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=1740.0

If anyone else has anything to offer which could usefully update some of the information held, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

[FarWestJohn]

This is appalling disastrous news. Truronian have been a shining light in local public transport together with Western Greyhound. They took many services over from First and made them reliable and cheaper - Roseland and St.Mawes for example.

First Group are scruffy and expensive. Last summer I witnessed four people buying tickets on a No 1 bus for the short trip from Porthcurno to Sennen. The First driver said 'it would be cheaper to get a taxi'!! They did and it was, say no more. The connections between First buses and trains at Penzance for example is appalling, I don't think they know each other exists.

First have wrecked our wonderful HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) internally and cannot run a reliable timetabled service even though the routes they serve are pretty basic compared with our previous choices. They obviously do not want to run the old Wessex area local trains as many previous entries on this site have already shown.

There will be no public transport competition in most of Cornwall if this is allowed to happen. I can see more branch line services becoming buses at this rate. They already run an express bus X18 from Penzance to Truro paralleling the main line.

I really did not want to hear this news.

[Conner]

So I take it then that you are broadly speaking against the proposal, qprrule? 

Yes.

I didn't think First would be able to do this. Truronian always take pride in being a locally run independent bus operator and they are much cheaper.

[vacman]

This is appalling disastrous news. Truronian have been a shining light in local public transport together with Western Greyhound. They took many services over from First and made them reliable and cheaper - Roseland and St.Mawes for example.

First Group are scruffy and expensive. Last summer I witnessed four people buying tickets on a No 1 bus for the short trip from Porthcurno to Sennen. The First driver said 'it would be cheaper to get a taxi'!! They did and it was, say no more. The connections between First buses and trains at Penzance for example is appalling, I don't think they know each other exists.

First have wrecked our wonderful HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) internally and cannot run a reliable timetabled service even though the routes they serve are pretty basic compared with our previous choices. They obviously do not want to run the old Wessex area local trains as many previous entries on this site have already shown.

There will be no public transport competition in most of Cornwall if this is allowed to happen. I can see more branch line services becoming buses at this rate. They already run an express bus X18 from Penzance to Truro paralleling the main line.

I really did not want to hear this news.

First busses are pretty dire, but if First were trying to do away with the railway by running the X18 (which still takes much longer than the train!!) then surely the bus would be cheaper?? And to be honest, when was the last time you saw a cancelled train in Cornwall? OK the 0705 was canned on one occassion last week but most Cornish services have actually improved since FGW^▸ (First Great Western) took over - Falmouth is always a 2 car, Wessex ALWAYS reduced it to a single car IN THE SUMMER MONTHS which is the busiest time, the Newquay used to be a single 153 ALL YEAR, it's now a 150 all year, Looe used to be a 153 even in the summer, under FGW it's a 150 in the summer, and then theres the good old 0705 Plymouth Penzance which the equivelent service under Wessex was a 2 car 158 which was so overcrowded every day that in excess of 50 people per day were left behind at St Austell, if you remember back it was on the news all the time, well that train is now an 8 coach HST! No their not perfect but the improvements never seem to be talked about! As for the busses though, if First Cornwall are anything to go by then Truronian will go down the pan!!!

[John R]

I didn't think First would be able to do this. Truronian always take pride in being a locally run independent bus operator and they are much cheaper.

But if I understand it correctly the owners are getting to the point (age) where they need to decide the future of the business. So... either take an offer (presumably reasonably lucrative) from First Group, or try and find another buyer, or keep the business going. If I were in their position, its difficult to argue against what they've done.   

[smokey]

So I take it then that you are broadly speaking against the proposal, qprrule? 

Yes.

I didn't think First would be able to do this. Truronian always take pride in being a locally run independent bus operator and they are much cheaper.

Well when First take over Truronian we can look forward to the late Redruth-Helston bus being axed, the Helston & Eden project "Branchline" busses being retimed to arrive at the Railway station 5 minutes AFTER the train has left and for the busses to leave 5 minutes BEFORE the Train arrives.

Who would agree that the 3 most successful Railway Franchises first time around were Chilten Trains, GNER^▸ (Great North Eastern Railways) and Virgin West Coast.


The common thread not one operates busses.

[vacman]

the Helston & Eden project "Branchline" busses being retimed to arrive at the Railway station 5 minutes AFTER the train has left and for the busses to leave 5 minutes BEFORE the Train arrives.

Like it does most of the time now since Truronian made the bus service "clockface", but yet the train service isn't.

[vacman]

As for most successful TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)'s, C2C, Chiltern and South West Trains.

[Conner]

As for most successful TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)'s, C2C, Chiltern and South West Trains.

Mine would have to be:
Chiltern, South West Trains and Virgin West Coast.

[vacman]

I think C2C are very under estimated, they turned around what was under BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) the "misery line" into what it is now, was the first TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) to have an all new train fleet and are about the most punctual and reliable London suburban TOC.

[swlines]

Not to mention their 357 fleet is the top performing newest generation AC OHLE^▸ (Over-Head Line Equipment (electrification via catenary)) EMU^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit). Reliability will drop when they get some 321s though! 

[vacman]

Not to mention their 357 fleet is the top performing newest generation AC OHLE^▸ (Over-Head Line Equipment (electrification via catenary)) EMU^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit). Reliability will drop when they get some 321s though! 

321's are THE most reliable OLE^▸ (Overhead Line Equipment, more often "OHLE") EMU's in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) I was led to believe? or are they the most reliable ex BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) units?