New bus route launched to connect Grange, Cartmel and Kendal

With its first run-out on February 19, the service will run weekly on a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Operated by Blueworks on behalf of Westmorland and Furness Council, the changes will use funding through the Department of Transport's 'Bus Service Improvement Plan'.

It is intended to complement, and fit around, the existing Service 530 to Kendal provided by Kirkby Lonsdale Coaches, and passengers can board anywhere on the route to travel into Grange.

Both operators - Blueworks and Kirkby Lonsdale Coaches - participate in the Government's maximum £2 fares scheme and the English National Concessionary Travel scheme, so passengers have the option to travel out with one operator and return with the other, if more convenient.

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme provides free bus travel for people over the state pension age and people with an eligible disability.

The short-term contract will run until the end of June with the timetable changing in March to include the Lakeland Leisure Park.

The news comes after the Blueworks Taxi Bus Company expanded its services across south Cumbria back in September to visit more villages and reach more people.

Read more: Blueworks bus service expands to reach more people in south Cumbria | The Mail (nwemail.co.uk)

One resident said: "This is great news - when I visit the Lakes, I always travel by bus and they've never let me down."

Westmorland and Furness Council have already outlined how they will be welcoming any feedback on the service and how they can better serve the local community.

They wanted to remind residents that eventually the service will need to cover the full costs of operation through fares collected, so journeys at peak times, particularly around school open and closure times, which are more expensive to operate, may be more difficult to provide.

You can contact Mark Hodgkiss with feedback by emailing mark.hodgkiss@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk.