Bus services in north and West Cumbria will be transformed say council bosses as it rolls out the first phase of an improvement plan.
Cumberland Council said it had developed strategies to revamp and expand services, working with travel firm Stagecoach.
This autumn, Cumberland Council said it would implement significant enhancements to local bus services, including:
- Reintroduction of route 60 between Silloth and Maryport.
- Restoration and improvement of route 101 between Rockcliffe and Durdar.
- Introduction of buses every 30 minutes on route 300 between Workington and Carlisle
- A new service – number 57 – between Maryport, Dearham, Broughton Moor and Workington
- Introduction of buses every 30 minutes on Sundays on the 30 service between Egremont/Frizington and Maryport
- Reintroduction of the M1 route, the Millom town service including Haverigg
- The route 22 bus between Cleator Moor, Cleator and the West Cumberland Hospital to provide dependable transport to essential services, with a special focus on accommodating passengers with mobility needs, the council said.
Cumberland Council said it was working with Lamplugh, Arlecdon and Frizington and Dean parish councils so route 217 between Frizington, Lamplugh, Dean and Cockermouth Route can be extended until March. Previous parish council funding had only been granted until September 18 this year.
The authority added: “The council is planning further enhancements to rural bus services this autumn. The council will be asking when and where the community wants buses to go. Input from the public on preferred destinations, frequencies, and travel times will be essential for refining and improving the service to better meet everyone’s needs.
“Cumberland Council is grateful for the £2.4 million in funding from the Department for Transport under the Bus Service Improvement Plan, which will enable them to make significant enhancements to the bus services across Cumberland.”
Cumberland Councillor Denise Rollo, executive member for sustainable, resilient, and connected places, said: “Partnering with Stagecoach marks a significant leap forward in our mission to make bus travel, more reliable and more frequent.
“We are excited to work closely with Stagecoach to enhance travel options for our communities, and we will ensure they meet our high standards for service quality while holding them accountable for delivering excellent bus services.
“Together, we’re driving forward our commitment to a greener, more connected, and vibrant Cumberland.”
Tom Waterhouse, managing director of Stagecoach, added: “We are proud to be working in partnership with Cumberland Council on the first phase of the Bus Service Improvement Plan. We have a shared ambition to grow the local bus network here in Cumbria, connecting more communities and making it easier to travel in a more environmentally sustainable way. We are excited about growing the local bus network together.”
Carlisle MP Julie Minns welcomed the news of the investment and highlighted the positive impact for Rockcliffe and Cargo, and for family and friends visiting the Eden Valley and Jigsaw hospice by bus.
She said: “Buses that connected Rockcliffe to the city centre disappeared in 2022, and I am delighted to see them restored.
“And restoring bus services to the Eden Valley Hospice will also be returning which will make a big difference to many people.
“I would like to thank Cumberland Council and the Government which is providing the funding that will lead to further improvements to rural bus services.
“Buses provide a lifeline in areas like ours and whilst I welcome the subsidy that’s enabled these routes to be restored, in the long term we need our bus services to be back in public control.
“I look forward to working with Cumberland Council and ministers to deliver the best possible devolution deal for Carlisle and north Cumbria which will provide the basis for bringing our bus services back under the control of a new combined authority.”
Josh MacAlister, Whitehaven and Workington MP, said: “Last year, my Labour colleagues and I launched a survey seeking input from the public about the bus improvements they’d like to see and we then made representations to the council for inclusion of these improvements in their Bus Service Improvement Plan.
“I’m delighted that many of the key improvements sought by my constituents – such as the return of the 22 service, protecting the 217 from being chopped and increasing the frequency of the 30 – are included in the plan announced by Cumberland Council and I thank the council for being responsive to the needs of local residents.
“Not all the improvements I want to see are in this first phase and we still have many villages that have no bus service at all, while others like Parton are having their service withdrawn.
“I’ll be seeking the views of residents in the autumn for improvements to be included in phase two of the council’s plan and working with the council to deliver improved connectivity across our rural communities.”
