A private firm has stepped in to save a South Cumbrian bus service.
The 530 service from Cartmel Peninsula to Kendal was set to be withdrawn at the end of next week, but Kirkby Lonsdale Coaches has stepped in to take it over.
Kirkby Lonsdale Coaches plans to keep almost all the current timetable, add a Saturday service, and on Saturdays and weekdays outside school term time offer an extra later return from Kendal.
The service, which is set to start on Monday July 24, will also return to running via Levens which will restore a five day a week service to the village. The service will also run on most bank holidays.
The company is part of the Department for Transport’s maximum £2 single scheme meaning that passengers using this service will now be able to take advantage of lower fares.
A petition launched by Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron called for local councils and bus companies to work together to find a solution to save the service. It was signed by almost 500 people.
Mr Farron said: “This is absolutely brilliant news and I’m massively grateful to everyone who signed our petition and backed the campaign.
“I want to say a huge thank you to councillors and officers at the new Westmorland and Furness Council who have worked their socks off to get this over the line, and of course to Kirkby Lonsdale Coaches who have stepped in to save this service.
“It’s so important that this bus service has a long term future and that can only happen if people use it. So I would encourage everyone on the Cartmel Peninsula to take advantage of this fantastic service.”
