Cumberland Council was formed in 2023 as a unitary authority combining Allerdale Borough Council, Carlisle City Council, Copeland Borough Council, and part of Cumbria County Council. The Cumberland Council area has an approximate population of 274,000.

Buses are the backbone of passenger transport in Cumberland. The Council, bus operators and other stakeholders are committed to building on this solid base to improve and expand services, making them more attractive to more residents and visitors, for more journeys. This will not be straightforward, as the geography in Cumberland makes it difficult and expensive to run frequent services in many areas, and significant investment is needed to pump-prime improvements to give them the time to bed in and become commercially sustainable.

The Bus Service Improvement Plan includes many proposed improvements to services, ticketing, infrastructure, vehicles and information, which together would modernise the bus network, bringing benefits in decarbonisation, access to education, employment and services, highway decongestion, improved public health, and enable increased visitor journeys by sustainable modes. This Plan will support the aspirations set out in Cumbria Transport Infrastructure Plan (CTIP) for the period 2022 – 2037.

The CTIP sets a vision for improving transport and infrastructure in Cumbria, that provides for the needs of residents, businesses and visitors, as well as respecting our special environment.

Key economic sectors within Cumberland include agriculture, tourism, and manufacturing, with notable industries such as the largest nuclear site in Europe. Despite some areas boasting high household earnings, others face significant deprivation and fuel poverty. The council area includes two World Heritage sites and an area of outstanding natural beauty, drawing millions of visitors annually. Buses have a key role to play in relation to accessing employment, allowing people to visit and move around Cumberland sustainably and tackling deprivation and fuel poverty.

The demographic trends in Cumberland indicate an aging population, with the number of residents over 65 expected to increase significantly by 2040. Median household income is £28,794, which is below the national average, and the median house price is £155,630.

Cumberland Councillor Denise Rollo, Executive Member for Sustainable, Resilient and Connected Places:

The Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) demonstrates our commitment to enhancing Cumberland's bus network. Recognising that buses are the backbone of passenger transport in our region, the council, in partnership with bus operators and key stakeholders, aims to build on this strong foundation, to improve and expand services. Our goal is to make bus travel more appealing for both residents and visitors. thereby increasing accessibility for a wider range of journeys.

The BSIP outlines a comprehensive range of proposed enhancements, including improvements to services, ticketing, infrastructure, vehicles, and information systems. These changes aim to modernise the bus network, delivering numerous benefits such as reduced carbon emissions, improved access to education, employment, and essential services, decreased highway congestion, and enhanced public health. The plan is aligned with the Cumbria Transport Infrastructure Plan (CTIP) 2022-2037 (PDF 12MB), which envisions a transport system that meets the needs of residents, businesses, and visitors while respecting our region's unique environment.

Cumberland's diverse geography presents challenges for frequent bus services, especially in rural areas. The BSIP acknowledges these obstacles and emphasises the need for investment to make services more viable over time. An improved network will benefit key industries such as agriculture, tourism, and manufacturing while supporting areas facing economic deprivation and fuel poverty.

Buses are crucial for connecting people to employment opportunities, supporting sustainable travel, and addressing socio-economic challenges. With a rich landscape that includes two World Heritage sites and an area of outstanding natural beauty, Cumberland attracts millions of visitors annually. Enhancing bus services will support both tourism and local communities, reinforcing our commitment to economic growth and environmental stewardship.

We are committed to listening to residents to shape a bus network that is reliable, efficient, and sustainable.

Together, we are driving forward our commitment to a greener, more connected, and vibrant Cumberland.

In 2021, the former Cumbria County Council delivered the first "Bus Service Improvement Plan" (BSIP) for Cumbria, as required by the Department for Transport's (DfT) "Buses Back Better" strategy. This national plan aimed to improve bus services by reforming how they are planned, delivered and funded.

The Government initially allocated £3 billion for improvements, but much of this was redirected to maintain services during and after the COVID pandemic, reducing BSIP funding to £1.2 billion. Cumbria’s bid was unsuccessful, with funding awarded mainly to areas with established projects or major infrastructure schemes.

In 2022, Cumbria County Council approved the Cumbria Transport Plan (CTIP). It sets out the transport vision and priorities for the county over the next 15 years, with the aim that in 2037 Cumbria will be one of the best-connected rural geographies in the UK. Clean growth and decarbonised transport networks will be integral to a growing, inclusive economy where our communities will be able to access opportunities, services, education and leisure facilities. Cumbria will be a destination of choice; where people choose to live, visit and work.

The development and delivery of accessible, sustainable and connected transport networks is necessary to support communities and economic growth. This needs all modes of transport to be effectively integrated with each other and with land uses, in a manner that respects our world class environment.

Congestion and parking issues in the Lake District impact local travel and tourism. While active travel solutions will help, an extensive, cost effective, frequent network of bus services is key to reducing car dependency.

As Cumberland's economy recovers and grows, improved public transport will be vital for tackling climate change, reducing congestion, and making the area an attractive place to live, work, and visit.

In April 2023 Cumbria County Council and six District level Authorities, were combined to form two Unitary Authorities, with the former Allerdale, Copeland and Carlisle areas forming one Authority (Cumberland), and Barrow, Eden and South Lakeland forming a second (Westmorland and Furness).

This BSIP will cover the Cumberland Council Area, but Cumbria is still being covered by a single Enhanced Partnership comprising of Cumberland Council, Westmorland and Furness Council and the county’s bus operators.

The Cumberland Council Plan's vision is that:
"a fresh approach is taken to the delivery of inclusive services that are shaped by Cumberland’s residents and communities. By enabling positive outcomes for health and wellbeing, prosperity, and the environment the potential of Cumberland’s people and area can be fulfilled”.

It is considered that having a fit for purpose public transport network is essential in order to help the council deliver its vision in the Council Plan. There are a number of key issues facing the bus network in Cumberland, namely;

• Strong bus and rail links exist, but gaps remain, especially before and after the normal core operating day.
• Limited inter-ticketing between bus and rail, making travel for areas not on the rail network appear complex, even when good bus services are available.
• Whilst the core network is reasonably well covered, providing services in less populated areas will be challenging, and demand responsive transport will be explored.
• Cumberland currently has no Zero Emission buses but will seek funding opportunities to help deliver them.

CTIP diagram showing strategic links in Cumbria

Please see the document for the CTIP diagram showing strategic links in Cumbria

In August 2023 Cumberland Council was awarded a grant of £464,743 from DfT as part of a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) plus programme. The grant is over a two-year period (with each tranche to be spent within 12 months) to target the actions that the Council and local operators believe will deliver the best overall outcomes, in growing long term patronage, revenues and maintaining service levels, whilst maintaining essential social and economic connectivity for local communities.

In addition, the grant may be used to ensure existing connections are maintained, increase the frequency on key corridors, increase the operating hours of some services, whilst reducing others, to reduce fares, or to introduce new local concessions to open up new markets and revenue.

On the 23rd October 2024 the Government also allocated £150 million (previously earmarked for HS2) towards enhancing bus services in the North (and Midlands). Cumberland Council will receive £1.54 million, which is in addition to the £464,743 received as part of the BSIP Plus programme from DfT.

Prior to local bus service deregulation in 1986, Cumbria County Council was awarded a grant of £2.5 million (£7 million at 2024 costs) for local bus service support. By 1998 that had fallen to £180,000 (36p per head of population, the lowest in England). The introduction of the Rural Bus Subsidy Grant of almost £1 million (tenth largest in England) saw a re-introduction of lost bus services.

However, when the grant ended and with other pressures on Council budgets, after public consultation Cumbria County Council took the decision to remove the whole £1.5million budget for local bus service support. For the last ten years, with the exception of a few locally funded routes, bus services in the County have only run if they are commercially viable.

Apart from some reductions in frequency, the commercial network in Cumberland has largely been maintained for the last twenty years, and in the tourist area of the Lake District there has been an expansion of services, with better frequencies; longer operating seasons, plus earlier and later buses. This however contrasts with the limited service provided in most rural areas outside the main tourist region, including to a number of larger settlements, which due to the great distances to main population hubs, often through areas of very sparse population, normally have no daily service or public transport links for work journeys.

There are a number of thriving Community Bus operators, who have stepped in where the commercial market has been unable to deliver a service for the area. An important consideration for the Council in relation to the BSIP Plus funding is how to maintain the good work these groups have done, whilst also meeting the aspirations of many local people for a return of the higher service levels of the past with frequent (at least) six day a week services, including journeys for work.

Cumberland Council is keen to investigate ways of restoring loss of connectivity and tackling climate change with a shift away from the reliance on private motoring. The BSIP Plus funding has given the Council the opportunity to start to turn these aspirations into reality, but the short term nature of the funding remains a concern.

Over 95% of the market within Cumberland is provided by a single operator (Stagecoach), this offers significant benefits in terms of ticket inter-availability, comprehensive publicity, but has drawbacks of following strategies set nationally.

Most areas of Carlisle have seven day a week services, and services running from early morning until late evening.

There are Sunday services within Workington, but other towns have either a limited or no commercially provided Sunday service.

Outside Carlisle most local services finish at around 6.00pm.

There are generally good networks along main roads between towns, operating at least hourly in the daytime, with a limited evening and Sunday service.

Services within the Central Lake District are good with high frequencies seven days a week throughout the year, with enhanced frequencies in Summer (Easter to late October).

Daytime service frequency and coverage within the Central Lake District (Windermere, Ambleside, Coniston, Grasmere, Keswick) has increased significantly within the last 20 years, often commercially but sometimes with initial Council and Lake District National Park Authority support to prove the viability of enhancements.

Outside the Lake District, since the withdrawal of Cumbria County Council support in 2014, frequencies are limited in most rural areas that aren’t on routes between main towns, and many areas, due to the sparse population, have no service.

Cumberland Council supports a Voluntary Social Car Scheme and demand responsive Rural Wheels Scheme to fill gaps in these areas. There are a number of section 22 permit “Community Bus operations”.

The bus fleet is slowly and aging, but has previously benefited from renewal, with new vehicles in Carlisle and “Gold” standard vehicles on the 300 service (Carlisle - Workington) and the renewal of buses on the 555 service (Keswick - Lancaster).

During the summer of 2024 Stagecoach are introducing 6 brand new vehicles to serve Whitehaven, this should help to improve service provision.

Individual fares are often seen to be high, but value season tickets are available for regular travellers in most areas. Higher fares are often necessary in the Lake District to support an all year round service, whilst after the withdrawal of Council financial support, many rural services rely heavily on pass holders of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS - known locally as NoWCard), the free scheme for older and disabled people, to fund their survival.

Bus stops in most areas are marked and a high proportion of marked stops have timetable posters at the stop.

There is currently no real-time information provided at bus stations/stops. Stagecoach provide live running information through their app, and travel news updates through the “X” Cumbria and North Lancashire account.

Bus shelters in the Cumberland area are generally owned and maintained by parish councils. Carlisle benefits from the provision of a number of shelters by an advertising company. Cumberland Council has continued the former County Council scheme of offering grants towards provision or maintenance of shelters.

Following the COVID pandemic concessionary passholders (ENCTS), who were vital for the viability of many rural routes, have been much slower to return to the bus than adults and young people.

Whilst there are currently no real-time displays at bus stops, a large number have bus timetable displays which are stop specific, to key destinations, for simplicity for potential passengers, and designed in a large print.

There are currently no electric (or alternative fuel) vehicles operating within Cumberland. The high costs of introduction and low profit margins make it difficult to deliver this important change. The large number of long routes and topography in the area also make them less suitable for a switch to electric buses. Cumberland Council prepared bids for “ZEBRA” funding from the Government in 2023, but the Cumberland submission for routes within Carlisle failed to meet the criteria needed, for the operator to support a bid to the Government.

The £2 fare scheme has been a major incentive to travel in many areas throughout Cumberland where long travel distances and limited population have led to high fares. The scheme however, does not offer any incentive to the regular traveller in towns where fares and weekly season tickets were already at this level.

Like many areas of the Country the area has been affected by unreliability, due to staff sickness and shortages, meaning services are dropped at short notice, whilst delays in vehicle replacement and shortage of parts have also meant services being dropped due to vehicles shortages. Both are affecting passenger confidence and the ability to attract extra passengers onto the network.

It is recognised that the interchange facilities in major towns are poor compared with those in similar sized towns in other areas, and offer a poor first view of the towns for visitors, and therefore will not encourage greater use of public transport.

A passenger survey took place at three locations (Carlisle, Keswick, and Whitehaven) across Cumberland.

819 participants took part in the survey. Overall, 58% of passengers stated that they were either very satisfied or somewhat satisfied. This represents a decline in the satisfaction rating by the public; the 2021 Cumbria wide Passenger Survey noted that passengers had an overall satisfaction rating of 73%.

In the 2023 survey, visitors had given a higher satisfaction rating (82%) than locals at (48%).

The location with the highest satisfaction rating was Keswick with 79%. The location with the lowest satisfaction rating was Whitehaven with 17%.

Male and female passengers were equally satisfied at 65%. However, female passengers were, at 36%, more likely to be dissatisfied than Males at 29%.

ENCTS passengers were slightly more satisfied (48%) than Non-ENCTS passengers (47%).

The age group with the highest satisfaction rating was the 55-64 age group with 50%. The lowest satisfaction rating came from the 65+ age group (42%).

Cumberland

In relation to the first phase of BSIP Plus funding, officers undertook initial discussions with operators to develop a list of potential outcomes, with suggestions being shared with elected members through the Council's Community Panels to seek views and further suggestions.

Following the engagement with Community Panels the Council is now going through a tender process and it is expected that the services will be in place by mid to late Summer.

The focus for the funding will be to pump prime services that will then have a reasonable chance of being commercially viable without subsidy, this will include: -

• Re-introduction of withdrawn routes from Frizington to Cockermouth and Workington; Silloth to Maryport; Millom to Haverigg and from Rockcliffe and Blackwell to Carlisle.
• Expansion of services between Carlisle and Workington, and on Sundays between Maryport and Whitehaven.
• To restore frequent services from Wetheral and Dalston to Carlisle.
• Introduction of later evening and Sunday services on routes from Silloth and Cockermouth to Carlisle.
• Better links to the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven and the Lillyhall trading estate between Workington and Whitehaven.

As part of the second phase of BSIP Plus funding it is the Council’s intention to explore how it can provide ‘sustainable bus services’ in rural areas, which may include further exploration of ‘on demand’ transport. This will include a review of the Council’s own fleet and the exploration of service integration.

The Council has developed a Communication Plan for the BSIP Plus funding and is undertaking the following activities over the summer period:

• Continued engagement with Community Panels
• Drop in events
• Online survey / social media
• Continued engagement with stakeholders and operators

The Council is committed to beginning the delivery of the On Demand Transport Rural Mobility Fund pilot in Wigton and Egremont / St Bees.

Better bus services will see fewer cars on the road, less congestion, quicker journey times, and will mean more journeys can be run with the same number of vehicles, making the bus a more attractive option. It will also benefit those who are unable to use the bus, as they will be able to get to their destination faster. This is particularly an issue in the Lake District, where the visitors which bring much needed revenue and employment to the area, also cause congestion for those residents going about their jobs, when visitors, especially those visiting just for the day use their cars.

To further support increased bus usage there will need to be measures to discourage car use, such as tougher parking restrictions and charges, plus giving the bus priority at the expense of delays for the motorist.

This has to be done in a cost-effective way. Routes in Cumberland are not highly profitable, so there will need to be a large initial Council investment to kick start the improvements. There will also need to be an acceptance that the bus will not always be the right solution for many rural areas. Investment instead in Demand Responsive Transport solutions, and possibly Park and Ride on the edge of town centres, with frequent bus services offering a link to traffic restricted central areas, may be required.

The Council will look to:

• Reduce the age profile of the bus fleet to offer more attractive service to passengers
• Move to an electric bus fleet
• Improve bus station facilities in Carlisle and Workington
• Improve waiting facilities at Keswick; Whitehaven; Wigton
• Provide more information on next services and any delays or disruption, at key locations

Additional Council proposals

On main routes in Carlisle, provide services:

• 05:00 to 23:00 Monday to Saturday
• 09:00 to 20:00 on Sundays
• At least every 10 minutes in the daytime on Monday to Saturday
• At least every 30 minutes early morning / late evening / Sundays

Whitehaven / Workington / other routes in Carlisle, provide services:

• 07:00 to 22:00 Monday to Saturday
• 09:00 to 18:00 on Sundays
• At least every 20 minutes in the daytime on Monday to Saturday
• At least every 30 minutes early morning / evenings Monday to Saturday
• At least every hour on Sundays

Main routes between larger towns, provide services:

• At least every 30 minutes daytime Monday to Saturday
• With first arrival no later than 08:00 and last return no earlier than 18:00
• Evening services with last arrival no earlier than 23:00
• At least hourly 09:00 to 19:00 Sundays
• Faster journey times with a mix of direct Express services and slower services serving more villages

Rural Areas off main roads, provide services:

• Mix of Monday to Saturday, daytime Demand Responsive, and weekly bus services, as appropriate for demand.

St Cuthbert’s Garden Village which will seek to deliver 10,000 new homes along with employment and retail opportunities is an opportunity for the Council to be ambitious in relation to delivering modal shift. As part of the St Cuthbert’s Garden Village proposals a new dedicated busway is being explored. A new, dedicated service can provide the capacity for the concentrated flows (Durdar - City Centre) where a bus service is most likely to be efficient for potential passengers, without impacting on capacity on existing bus routes. A dedicated busway will allow for services to be increased as the SCGV is built out, with potential for services running every few minutes. A dedicated busway will enable bus services to run quickly and reliably between Durdar, the main development site and the city centre, with journey times of around 10 minutes, low enough to be attractive and competitive with the private car.

As part of the Cumbria County Council Bus Service Improvement Plan potential initiatives, interventions and schemes were identified. Cumberland Council has updated the targets based on the Council Plan and the Council’s approach in relation to the BSIP Plus funding.

Delivery of any of these options will be subject to the availability of sufficient external funding, the relevant community engagement and consultation being undertaken, and the appropriate consents obtained via the relevant regulatory authorities.

A summary of the key areas for improvement is stated below:

Access to employment for visitor/hospitality industry within the Lake District

Many employers within the hospitality and tourism sectors have struggled to recruit sufficient staff to deliver their services. This has been exacerbated by the United Kingdom leaving the European Union and the COVID-19 pandemic with many workers returning to their home countries. This proposal will deliver a transport solution to enable workers to travel from areas of Cumbria with higher rates of unemployment to locations within the Lake District National Park.

Access to employment / learning in rural areas

Public transport can provide crucial links between rural areas and essential services like healthcare, education, and employment. The absence of commercially viable routes often results in unmet local transport needs. The Council will explore expanding Community Transport initiatives as they provide reliable transportation and enhanced accessibility, leading to improved healthcare, education, and employment outcomes. Community transport can offer flexible solutions, addressing unmet local transport needs and directly tackling community challenges.

Improve awareness of what is already available

This intervention will publicise the existing passenger transport offer in Cumbria via a combination or marketing campaigns, digital information and paper-based timetable booklets, working in partnership with bus operators, key employers and community groups.

Major infrastructure improvements

A busway will be considered to serve a new development comprising up to 10,000 dwellings, forming St Cuthberts Garden Village, which is integral to the sustainable growth of the city of Carlisle. Such a large growth in potential traffic will put strains on an already at capacity road network, and will lead to delays on existing bus services. A busway will offer fast attractive alternative transport from the development to the City Centre. As part of any future capital funding that is available the Council will also consider bus station upgrades.

Better parking restrictions and enforcement

This proposal will deliver improved on-street parking controls in; Carlisle; Borrowdale/ Newlands Valley, areas susceptible to parking issues which delay bus services. This will be achieved by a variety of traditional interventions by Civil Enforcement Officers and the introduction of camera technology where traditional enforcement has not been effective.

Better accessibility for rural areas

Many rural areas in Cumberland have little or no public transport. Building on the Rural Mobility Fund pilot, this measure will expand the digital demand responsive transport offer in other localities where a need has been identified.

New bus/rail ticketing to make sustainable travel more attractive to visitors.

Initial conversations with bus and train operating companies indicates an appetite to introduce multi-modal tickets. This will enhance the ability for passengers to travel in Cumberland using a single, transferrable ticket, which could also be marketed for local events and attractions, making reaching Cumberland by sustainable means more attractive.

Better ticketing for young people; workers; families/groups

This proposal will increase the range of ticket offers available for regular travellers including those attending education courses and the local workforce. If delivered and successful, this initiative should achieve reduced private car use and improve access to education and employment where travel costs are currently prohibitive.

Funding for modernisation of fleet to zero emissions

Cumbria County Council previously applied for funding to deliver zero-emission buses via the Government’s All-Electric Bus Town Fund. This proposal will entail engagement with operators to support any aspirations to acquire a fleet of zero-emission vehicles and the installation of the associated charging infrastructure. Cumberland Council will continue to explore all funding opportunities to support the delivery of zero-emission buses.

Funding values have not been included at this stage, as schemes will be designed around funding that becomes available, and can be as ambitious or as limited as funding and the schemes allow.