Cumberland Council invests £2.89m in bus routes but cuts some services

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 24 Oct, 06:09 · Archive

Cumberland Council is investing £2.89 million to protect key bus routes across the region, but some services will lose funding.

Cumberland Council has allocated £2.89 million to protect key bus routes across the region throughout 2026/27. The funding will support services in Carlisle, Workington, Maryport, Cockermouth and Whitehaven, helping residents access employment, education, healthcare and other essential services.

The investment follows a competitive procurement exercise that attracted 51 tenders from four bus and coach operators. Despite the funding, some routes will lose council backing due to constraints on available money.

Cllr Denise Rollo, the council's executive member for sustainable, resilient and connected places, described the decision as 'very difficult'. She said: 'We know how much people value their local services, but the funding available means we cannot support every route in the same way as before.' She added that the decision was made through a 'fair and consistent process', taking into account passenger demand, value for money and available funding.

Rollo said the council remained 'committed to exploring every realistic funding and delivery option available, including opportunities through Cumberland Go', and encouraged residents to use and support the protected services.

How it is being reported

• Cumberland Council pledges £2.89m to protect bus routes but some lose backingCumberland Council has pledged to protect key bus routes through a new £2.89 million investment package.Whitehaven News · 24 Oct, 05:00
• Cumberland Council pledges £2.89m to protect bus routes but some lose backingCumberland Council has pledged to protect key bus routes through a new £2.89 million investment package.News & Star · 24 Oct, 05:00

In this story: Cumberland Council · Denise Rollo · Carlisle · Workington · Maryport · Cockermouth · Whitehaven

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