Cumbria approves £401m four-year transport investment plan

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 26 Oct, 13:29 · Archive

Cumbria Combined Authority has approved a £401 million transport investment plan running from 2026/27 to 2029/30.

Cumbria Combined Authority approved the four-year transport investment plan on Monday 26 October. The £401 million funding follows a settlement from the Department for Transport confirmed in December 2025. The plan will run from 2026/27 to 2029/30 and was developed in partnership with Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council.

The investment covers maintenance of highways, footpaths, street lighting and drainage. It also includes upgrades to bus stops and interchanges, improvements to walking and cycling infrastructure, and investment in electric vehicle infrastructure.

Mark Fryer, chair of Cumbria Combined Authority, said devolution gives the region control over how transport funding is spent locally. He said the plan represents 'a substantial investment in the roads and transport services people use every day'. He added that the outcome should be 'better roads, more reliable journeys and easier access to work and services' for people across Cumbria.

Both Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council will develop and deliver projects in their areas, with the combined authority setting county-wide priorities and monitoring progress.

Interim transport priorities have also been approved to guide short-term investment until Cumbria's first Local Transport Plan is developed. That plan is due to follow the election of the county's first mayor in May 2027.

Cumbria approves £401m four-year transport investment plan — Image: Westmorland Gazette

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How it is being reported

£401m Cumbria transport plan approved for roads, buses and sustainable travelA £401 million transport investment plan has been approved to improve roads, bridges, and public transport across Cumbria.Westmorland Gazette · 26 Oct, 13:01
£401m Cumbria transport plan approved for roads, buses and sustainable travelA £401 million transport investment plan has been approved to improve roads, bridges, and public transport across Cumbria.Whitehaven News · 26 Oct, 13:01
£401m Cumbria transport plan approved for roads, buses and sustainable travelA £401 million transport investment plan has been approved to improve roads, bridges, and public transport across Cumbria.NW Evening Mail · 26 Oct, 13:01
£401m Cumbria transport plan approved for roads, buses and sustainable travelA £401 million transport investment plan has been approved to improve roads, bridges, and public transport across Cumbria.Cumberland News · 26 Oct, 13:01

In this story: Cumbria Combined Authority · Cumberland Council · Westmorland and Furness Council · Department for Transport · Mark Fryer · Cumbria

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