First Kernow

Kernow (also known as Kernow by First or First Kernow) was a brand used by FirstGroup, England. The buses were initially operated by its First Devon and Cornwall subsidiary and later by First South West. Although the brand name is being phased out, it can still be seen on buses and signs.

History

Kernow was created as a brand of First South West, which was formed from two previous operators: Western National (in Cornwall and South Devon) and Red Bus (in North Devon).

First purchased Truronian coaches in 2008 but the Truronian brand was retained for coach operations.

Cornwall Council announced on 6 January 2020 that it had awarded the entire tendered bus network in the county, except the Truro park & ride service, to the Go-Ahead Group from 1 April. The contract consists of 73 routes, which was roughly half of the First Kernow network at the start of 2020. First retained their commercially operated routes and the Truro park & ride contract.

FirstGroup announced in December 2024 that it was ending the use of local brands such as Kernow. It will be phased out as buses and signs are replaced or repainted.

Routes

Kernow routes initially covered mainly central and west Cornwall, west of an imaginary line connecting Camelford, Bodmin and Fowey, although two services continued along the north coast from Camelford as far as Bude. The network area was made considerably smaller following re-tendering of many services by Cornwall Council in 2020.

Kernow operates the ''Park for Truro'' service in Truro on behalf of Cornwall Council, as well as services intended primarily for university students between Truro, Redruth and Falmouth University campuses in Falmouth and Penryn (using route numbers prefixed U).

During the summer months, Kernow operated open top buses. In 2017, the service was relaunched under the ''Atlantic Coaster'' brand with Plaxton President bodied Dennis Trident 2s drafted in to replace the Alexander bodied Volvo Citybuses. In 2022 First Kernow operated four 'Coaster' branded open top bus routes in Cornwall: the Land's End Coaster (Penzance - Marazion - St Ives - Land’s End - Penzance Circular); the Tin Coaster (Penzance - Lower Boscawell); the Atlantic Coaster (Newquay - Padstow); and the Falmouth Coaster (Falmouth Circular). In February 2025, First South West announced that all open top services within Cornwall would not be returning for the 2025 summer season, with services instead being operated by closed top alternatives. First claimed a significant drop in tourism within Cornwall as a reason for the change.

Most Kernow routes are interurban or rural in character, but there are local town services in some of the larger urban areas – Falmouth, Newquay, Penzance and St Austell, as well as the Park & Ride service in Truro.

Kernow took over some of Western Greyhound's routes following that company's sudden closure in March 2015, which meant that First returned in force to Newquay and neighbouring settlements (including Padstow, Perranporth and Wadebridge), where nearly all services had been operated by Western Greyhound for some years. Western Greyhound had also possessed some services in the Penzance and St Austell areas, most of which were also transferred to Kernow.

Many rural routes were lost when the Transport for Cornwall contract was given to Plymouth Citybus by Cornwall Council in March 2020. The only bus routes still operated by First Kernow are the U/T/L prefixed routes, "Coaster" branded services, "Sunseeker" S1/S2 routes, The "Mousehole" branded service between Penzance, Newlyn & Mousehole and the unbranded 17, 19, 24, 27, and 91. These are operated on a commercial basis. All of the Truro College routes and some school buses are run as well. In May 2021, Kernow started the Cornwall Daytripper brand based around the Eden Project, added a Falmouth Coaster and Discover Exeter operated with open toppers and Dartmoor Explorer with B7TLs.

Depots

The principal maintenance depot is at Camborne with a second in the Newquay area at Summercourt, which was acquired from Western Greyhound after that company had ceased to trade. The depots at Penzance and Truro also carry out some vehicle checks and minor maintenance.

Main depots

*Camborne
* Summercourt (Newquay). Former base for Western Greyhound bus company.

Other depots

*Penzance
*Truro

Outstations

*Bodmin
*Bude
*Eden Project (near St Austell)
* Falmouth
*Helston
*Padstow
*Plymouth
*Exeter
*Winkleigh

Fleet

First Kernow had an older fleet of buses, virtually all of which had been cascaded from other FirstGroup fleets. They included Plaxton Presidents on Volvo B7TL and Dennis Trident 2 chassis, Plaxton Pointer on Dennis Dart chassis, Optare Solos and Mercedes-Benz Citaros from Western Greyhound.First: Devon, Kernow, Somerset, Truronian
UK Buses 1 September 2013

First Kernow received 30 new Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMCs in late 2016/early 2017 for use on its U1/U2 (blue livery) routes and ''the Tinner'' T1/T2 routes (red livery). A further 21 Enviro400 MMCs and 20 Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMCs were purchased in 2018.First cements Cornish comeback with £8.4m order ''Buses'' issue 757 April 2018 page 8

Livery

Some buses allocated to Cornwall carry FirstGroup

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