Members of the cabinet for Westmorland and Furness Council meeting in meeting in Sebergh today (Tuesday 16th July) have voted to approve the allocation of £1.701 million from the Department for Transport for a number of routes across the council area.
The one-off funding will be used to improve bus services to link communities subject to the outcome of a procurement exercise after which the council will seek to enter into the relevant legal agreements.
According to council documents, amongst services set to benefit from £160,000 in funds will be the X5 service between Keswick and Penrith to maintain improved Monday to Saturday frequency and to increase the number of services on Sunday.
The council will also use the funds to explore the addition of new services such as a twice daily service from Alston to Penrith as well as a Little Langdale Shuttle bus.
The report adds: “Given the importance of reliable public transport networks to local communities, and the need to ensure value for money for our residents, the focus will be to support operators to grow long term patronage, maintaining essential social and economic connectivity for local communities.
“In addition, funding will ensure connections are restored and maintained, increasing the frequency on key corridors and strengthening the financial sustainability of the sector.”
The council carried out a consultation on how to use the funds from March 19 to the end of April to which they received 1912 responses.
Proposed bus improvements in Eden are included improvements to be made to the 106 service from Kendal to Penrith via Shap with a possible extension to Settle-Carlisle line at Langwathby.
Funds will also be used to maintain the improved Monday to Saturday 104 service from Penrith to Carlisle and to improve the Sunday service. It is proposed there will be a new 105 Greystoke to Penrith daily service with a possible extension to the Settle-Carlisle line at Langwathby.
The Wednesday service on the 561 from Appleby to Kendal is set to be re-instated and the 563 service from Penrith to Kirkby Stephen is in line to see an improved frequency of buses with a possible extension to Kirkby Stephen and Appleby railway stations.
The 646 Penrith Town service is set to see an improvement to peak services and the council is in line to support the locally funded UB1 Ullswater service. Funds are set to be allocated to the X5 service between Keswick and Penrith to maintain improved Monday to Saturday frequency and to increase the number of services on Sunday.
The council will also use the government funds to maintain the improved 680 Nenthead to Carlisle service and to explore a Monday to Friday twice daily service from Alston to Penrith.
The allocation of the funding is subject to the outcome of a procurement exercise after which the council will seek to enter into the relevant legal agreements.
Portfolio holder for transport and regulatory services councillor Neil Hughes told the cabinet the council is ‘always grateful’ for any help from with local transport services from government and added the deficit of public transport all over Cumbria has been an ‘issue for a long time’.
He said: “The council, although it’s only in its second year, right from the start had a key aspiration to improve our public transport.
“This is primarily to boost our economy, to give people jobs they can access, to help people shop, to attend medical appointments, to attend educational commitments and obviously it will help people visit friends and to facilitate leisure activities.”
Cabinet member for highways, assets and ICT councillor Peter Thornton said he hoped people use the supported routes as it would act as a ‘powerful incentive’ to keep them going forward.
A report prepared for the cabinet added: “This funding is not currently recurring, and it is key that the supported routes are used so that they become sustainable into the future.”.