£9 million will be invested by the Government in bus services in Cumbria to improve them.
The Government has committed the cash for next year – with £4.04m going to Westmorland & Furness and £5 million for Cumberland.
The investment is to enhance popular routes, protect and create new rural services and increase bus use for shopping, socialising and commuting.
It will help prevent service reductions on at-risk routes and improve punctuality, to bring an end to the current postcode lottery of unreliable services, the Government said.
Councillor Denise Rollo, Cumberland Council’s cabinet member for sustainable, resilient and connected places, said: “I am delighted that the Transport Secretary has confirmed over £5 million of new bus funding across our council area.
“People across Cumberland are tired of unreliable, infrequent bus services holding them back from opportunities after a decade of neglect of our local bus services.
“This new Government has a plan to deliver better buses across the country, and this funding boost is another crucial stop on that journey.”
Whitehaven and Workington MP Josh MacAlister added: “Buses are the lifeblood of communities, but the system is broken. Too often, passengers in West Cumbria are left waiting hours for buses that don’t turn up – and some rural areas have been cut off altogether.
“That’s why the new Government is reforming funding to deliver better buses across the country and end the postcode lottery of bus services. We’re set to feel the benefit of that here in West Cumbria and I’m excited about the changes we can now make with this extra resource.
“By delivering better buses, we’ll ensure people have proper access to jobs and opportunities and can access health services and leisure facilities. I look forward to working with Denise and the council to ensure our area feels the maximum benefit.”
Westmorland & Furness Council’s cabinet member for transport and environmental services, Councillor John Murray said: “We welcome the Government’s commitment to supporting bus service improvements in Westmorland & Furness, allocating our council £4 million to further enhance the public transport offer in 2025/26.
“The funding will significantly benefit our residents, who for many, buses are a lifeline offering their only means of reaching essential services across our area.
“This sum will enable us to build on the fantastic work that has already been delivered and take us even closer to achieving our vision of establishing a sustainable and reliable network of bus services.
“Our residents are already seeing the benefits of nine new or enhanced council-funded routes that launched earlier this year, with up to 30 more bus services set to receive support.”
The Department for Transport said the way funding was allocated had been reformed, meaning it will be allocated based on place need, levels of deprivation and population. This will stop areas competing for funding as in previous years, which in turn wastes resources and delays decisions.
The Government said the Buses Bill will be introduced in the coming weeks and will give local leaders across England greater control to deliver bus services in a way that suits the needs of their communities.
