Former Town Councillor Calling for Review of Public Transport in the Town

A former Penrith town councillor is calling for a review of public transport provision after it emerged local services have been cut and bus stops closed.

Jeff Thomson, who is a former town councillor, claims public transport is being neglected in the Castletown area of the town.

There are fewer 646 town service buses and those that do come through Castletown now only go one way. Three bus stops on Norfolk Road and Newton Road in Castletown leading into Penrith town centre have been closed and are no longer used.

Mr Thomson said "This means pedestrians, including elderly people, who regularly use the 646 now have to cross the busy, and often dangerous B5288 through Castletown, just to get on and off the bus,".

Alongside the public bus service, Mr Thomson also raised concerns over the Stagecoach number 2 service for North Lakes School which was reduced nearly a year ago that had serves pupils from Castletown attending North Lakes School.

"The service now only collects the children in the morning, bus doesn't bring them back after stopping the return bus service. Plus, the bus route has been cut leaving another closed bus stop on Mill Street," said Thomson.

What is particularly galling he says, is that buses frequently pass along the B5288 through Castletown from the bus depot on Gilwilly Industrial Estate.

"They all pass along the road going into Penrith centre but are signed 'not in service', so none stop at any of the bus stops," said Thomson.

He claims this is a further example of the erosion of basic public services and he is calling for local councils and councillors to reverse decisions which have brought reduced bus services and closed bus stops.

On Monday Westmorland and Furness Council leadership approved a £1.7million funding boost for local bus services across the Westmorland and Furness District including £ 61,000 for the 646 Town Bus Service in Penrith to build on the current peak service by introducing off peak times to support school commute.

The funding will only be available currently for one year to support bus services with the £1.7million handed to the council by the previous Government to help deliver transport improvements in the area.