LISKEARD’S new bus facility is set to be up and running by summer 2025. 

The proposed interchange at the former Cattle Market site will provide a hub for all services in and out of the town centre, and will have spaces for four or five buses to pull in and stop while drivers change shifts. Led by Cornwall Council, the idea for a bus interchange came out of conversations with local people in 2022 during Liskeard’s Active Travel consultation, as well as being something that the bus companies themselves were keen to see. The proposed new facility, to be built by Cormac, is in the early planning stages. To get it built, Liskeard is set to receive a share of Cornwall’s £13.3-million Bus Service Improvement Plan fund, cash which comes from the Department for Transport. One of the reasons for taking buses off the Parade and into the Cattle Market is to relieve pressure on traffic in the town centre. In agreement with this is Nigel Harris, who says: “Barras St is ridiculous at times, especially when Wetherspoon is having deliveries, there’s various building work going on, and several buses all trying to use the stops at the same time. A bus interchange works well in Truro so it could be great for the town - more visitors brings more opportunities, personally, I’m all for it!” But former members of the Town Council have expressed concerns. Susan Shand says: “The Cattle Market is the only place in town where large groups can congregate. It is not suitable or safe to introduce buses into that area, it needs to be as pedestrian as possible.  It won’t take pressure off Barras street anyhow as buses will still have to pass through. The best place for a bus station would be Westbourne car park. Or think about an edge of town site with shuttle buses.” And Sandra Mitchell said: “I objected to a bus station there when it was first suggested when I was still on the Council. At that time, it was agreed as not suitable. The Cattle Market was promised as a place for families, picnics, outdoor events, a new community centre, children’s activities, art and drama and so on.” 

Sandra feels that ‘false promises’ were made during a Charette - five days of workshops and further consultation with local residents and businesses, carried out in 2019. 

“People were given the impression that some of their suggestions would materialise. But none of it seems to be happening. 

“I seriously believe that filling that space with buses is pointless. They will still drive through Barras Street. Will they still pick up along that route?” Sandra also feels that not enough information has been forthcoming about a previous project to build a new community centre, and asks this if this will still be happening. Cornwall Councillor Nick Craker said that at present there were no plans for any further developments on the site other than those already agreed and in progress – the expansion of the doctors surgery, the bus interchange and the Cornwall Council Integrated Services Hub. “We’ve been clear that there is no extra space for more, because we need the parking for the town.”