CORNWALL Council has confirmed that changes to the number 12 bus route mean the council is paying more to cover the costs of bus passes.

At the end of April, it was announced that the Go Cornwall Bus number 12 service - between Bude and Plymouth - would be undergoing some adjustments, splitting it into three journeys.

However, this week Cornwall Council has confirmed that these changes mean it is having to pay more to fund local bus passes.

Following the changes, service users travelling the length of the journey are now required to pay three fares, amounting to £9, instead of the previous £3 fare. As a result, the use of council-supplied bus passes is costing the county council more.

Anyone over the state pension age, or those living with a disability can be eiligable to free bus travel through a bus pas provided by Cornwall Council

When asked whether these changes could mean that the use of these passes is costing the council more, a spokesperson from Cornwall Council said: “The changes made to service 12 mean we can keep buses running between Bude and Plymouth. Around 5 per cent of passengers travel the full length of this service with the vast majority travelling between communities along the route. A low number of concessionary passes are used on this service when compared with other bus journeys in Cornwall of a similar length.

“Payments to bus operators for the English National Concessionary Pass Scheme are made on each journey and, as such, the changes to Service 12 will result in an increase in the reimbursement paid [...] The changes have meant we can continue to provide a service for passengers wishing to travel between Bude and Plymouth, as well as the majority of passengers who are travelling between communities along the route.”