We asked you to submit your questions to candidates standing in the 2024 General Election.
From all your submissions, we chose 10 that represented the broad issues you wanted answers to.
We asked every candidate we had contact details for to respond.
We’ll be publishing them in the run-up to the General Election with the responses from the candidates who replied from each constituency.
These are the answers are from candidates standing in the Barrow & Furness constituency.
Your question:
What do you plan to do about the abysmal state of public transport? Buses are either late, cancelled or constantly breaking down and not mechanically fit for purpose
Adrian Waite, Liberal Democrats
Public transport is poor across the whole of Barrow & Furness. Rail connections to Carlisle and Lancaster are slow and unreliable. Bus services are unreliable in urban areas and non-existent in many rural areas.
Remember it was the Conservatives who privatised and deregulated the rail and bus services; and it was a Labour-led Cumbria County Council that ended financial support for rural buses.
Now that the Liberal Democrats have gained control of Westmorland & Furness Council, they are giving public transport more financial support and opening more routes.
But I think they should do more, and government should help.
Liberal Democrats would enhance local, regional and national connectivity while boosting the economy, protecting the environment and improving public health. We would:
- Boost bus services by supporting rural bus services and encouraging alternatives to conventional bus services where they are not viable, such as on-demand services; and maintaining the £2 cap on bus fares while fares are reviewed.
- Make rail a genuinely convenient, affordable and environmentally friendly option for both passengers and freight.
- Make public transport more affordable for young people.
Barry Morgan, Reform UK
Both Furness and Cumbrian Coast railways should be brought into 50% public ownership and funded under the banner of Levelling Up .
I would go further by advocating a 24/7 service to support employment growth in a high-tech enterprise corridor from Barrow to Sellafield.
Lisa Morgan, Party of Women
This is an issue which disproportionately affects women, especially those who are poorer.
Many don’t have access to a car and often need to travel with small children.
Transport being affordable and reliable is important for their well-being as well as their safety. I would campaign to find funding for better public transport throughout the area.
