Bus firm steps in as First Bus plans to leave



Bus operator Go Cornwall has said it will step in to offer bus services after First Bus announced plans to withdraw all its services due to rising costs and falling passenger numbers.

Following its announcement Go Cornwall said it will offer alternative or amended services for the routes First Bus will axe next year to "keep Cornwall connected."

Richard Stevens, the managing director of Go Cornwall Bus said: "We understand how concerning this news will be for residents who rely on these routes every day. "Our message today is simple and clear: no community will be left unserved."

Engine units packing up. Many running on 50%ish & can’t keep to timetable

Simon Kirk was awarded British Transport Police's Divisional Commander's Commendation

A "calm and courageous" train driver who resuscitated an unconscious passenger has been commended for his actions.

Simon Kirk, a York-based TransPennine Express (TPE) driver, spotted a person lying on the ground with a serious head injury and not breathing when the train he was operating stopped at Redcar Station. Mr Kirk, who was previously a life guard, said his old training kicked in and he carried out CPR until the passenger started breathing again and an ambulance arrived.

Receiving a British Transport Police commendation at a ceremony in Birmingham, Mr Kirk said: "We spend every day doing our best to keep people safe, and this experience reminded me how important that really is."


The passenger was unconscious and not breathing at Redcar station

Recalling the incident, which happened last year, Mr Kirk said: "It was raining and I could see someone lying on the ground. I rang the conductor and asked for a few minutes to check on them." He then performed first aid and instructed the conductor to call the emergency services.

Mr Kirk said he had acted on "instinct" and it was a "huge relief" when the passenger started breathing again.

Rob Cox, TPE operations director, said: "Simon's calm and courageous response made an important difference. We're incredibly proud of his actions, which reflect the professionalism and care shown by colleagues across our network."

Mr Kirk said: "It has also shown me just how valuable first aid knowledge can be – you never know when you might need it."

1W02 11:52 London Paddington to Hereford (14:44)  : departed +15, Oxford +16, arrived Great Malvern +26 and cancelled thereafter.

Not mentioned on JourneyCheck but both the 11:52 Paddington to Hereford and 12:52 Paddington to Worcester Foregate Street are short-forms (as will be the return runs). The GWR app is showing no seats available on the 11:52 at the moment.

15:18 Hereford to London Paddington due 18:29 will be started from Great Malvern.
This is due to a late running train being in front of this one.
Last Updated:21/11/2025 14:54

Residents were upset by tree felling on the Midland Mainline earlier this year

Network Rail will host a meeting with residents over the "horrifying" felling of trees along a railway line near Higham.

The firm said it will discuss "what went wrong" with vegetation management along the Midland Mainline, which "fell short of our standards".

Work was carried out by an external contractor earlier this year to ensure rail services would continue to be safe and reliable, but residents said the work near Higham, Derbyshire, included the felling of healthy oak and birch trees.

Sarah McRow, 56, co-owner of Brackenfield Alpacas, described the felling as "unnecessary and an extreme overreach" and has called for Network Rail to set out a restoration plan. "I want them to admit wrongdoing and I would like to see changes in their vegetation management procedures," she added. Ms McRow said she believes the contractor responsible for the work was terminated by Network Rail.

Network Rail said fencing work had been delayed because of a "change of contractor" but declined to comment further.

The BBC has contacted the contractor believed to have carried out the work initially, but has not received a response.

A report completed in June 2025 by the Tree Council charity said "good work" was carried out at Duffield and north of Wingfield station/Higham Bridge.

However, it added there was "much poorer work" between Wingfield and Higham. The report said that south of Higham Bridge, contractors had felled oaks which could have been retained but left ash and other live trees that were "showing signs of ash dieback."

The report added that Network Rail should "seek answers" from the contractors as to why "such different specifications had been applied to very similar stretches of line – north and south of Higham bridge." The charity said this had "not helped Network Rail with both its vegetation management in the area and its relations with the community."

A spokesperson for Network Rail, which is holding the meeting at The Santos Farm Hotel from 18:00 GMT, said: "We agreed to hold this week's public meeting to discuss with the community what went wrong with the initial vegetation clearance and why, and what's been done since to rectify matters, including our replanting work with the Tree Council."

Wadworth Brewery buildings conversion given go-ahead


Developers have given an idea of what they hope the redeveloped brewery site will look like

Permission has been granted for the redevelopment of Grade II* listed Victorian brewery buildings into homes.

Dating back to 1875, the Wadworth and Co brewery site in Devizes has been empty since the firm moved to new premises, away from the town centre, in 2023.

Most of the Victorian site's industrial buildings were demolished last month to make way for 102 new homes, with only the listed Wadworth building, White Lion pub and adjacent buildings remaining.

Wiltshire Council has now given consent to change these into 23 new apartments, a house and commercial space, which developers hoped, alongside existing plans for the site, would create a new "cultural quarter" for the town.



The developers, Nash Partnership, said that the cultural area would be formed with developer Backhouse's development on the northern portion of the site, and the revamp of the historic Assize Court as the new home for Wiltshire Museum to the west, and would have the "regenerated heritage buildings at its heart".

Simon Williams, town clerk for Devizes, said: "The town council has been supportive of the application throughout and is delighted to see this historic site being developed." He added that the council was "pleased to see the town centre having investment made which connects with other developments in a supportive way".

The plans include re-using specific artefacts from the site such as copper vessels, engines and brewery equipment, as part of the designs.

Perhaps there were some acting civil servants ... bearing in mind that many of them work for a company that receives £1 million per day from the public purse, and who's operation of GWR will be part of the public sector within a year from now.   Several times during the meeting, it was asked that we reduce the time being spent on background information highlighting some of the positives that can be presented, and the intent and analysis, and move more closely onto customer issues.  It is natural for people who are or will be, directly or indirect, paid by civil servant masters to want to protect their positions.

Dear  /Redacted/

I am writing to inform you of an important and difficult decision regarding the future of our operations in Kernow. After an extensive review and the exhaustion of all viable alternatives, First Bus has announced its intention to close its entire operation in the county, with the final day of service scheduled for Saturday 14 February 2026. 

This decision has not been taken lightly. Our Kernow operation has faced sustained financial challenges over a prolonged period, which have intensified in recent years due to rising operating costs and increased competition from other providers. Despite implementing a number of transformation initiatives aimed at growing passenger numbers and reducing costs, the business has continued to make significant losses and is no longer financially viable. 

As part of this proposal, First Bus intends to withdraw from all five of its depots in Camborne, Falmouth, Penzance, Summercourt and Truro. Regrettably, this places 275 roles at risk, and we are working closely with all affected colleagues to provide support and explore alternative employment opportunities both within First Bus and across our parent company, FirstGroup. 

Until the proposed closure date, we remain fully committed to maintaining normal service levels for passengers across our current network in the county. We are also working collaboratively with Cornwall Council and through the Council, with other local operators to ensure a smooth and well-managed transition, minimising disruption to local communities and passengers who depend on these services. 

These plans do not in any way detract from the commitment of our colleagues, who have worked tirelessly to provide the best possible service to local communities in Cornwall. Supporting our people through this process is now our top priority. 

We recognise the significance of this decision for the communities and stakeholders we serve, and we are committed to maintaining open communication throughout this process. Further details regarding the proposals and next steps will be shared in the coming weeks as plans progress. 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your ongoing partnership and support over many years. Should you wish to discuss this matter further, I would be happy to meet with you. 

Yours sincerely

Simon

And from comments on the BBC article ...
.....Comment by millkeeper at 11:14.....
.....I'm surprised this hasn't included rail companies and airlines who all say prices from but there are so few of those seats available they shouldn't be able to advertise like this