Westmorland and Furness to expand bus routes with £1.7 million government funding

Westmorland and Furness Council has approved plans to investigate the extension of 25 existing bus routes and explore the introduction of up to seven new services across the region.

The measures are set to utilise £1.7 million in funding from the UK Government’s Local Authority Bus Grant and aim to improve connectivity for rural and urban communities. The changes are expected to benefit residents from spring 2026 and focus on access to employment, education, healthcare, and essential services.

Cllr John Murray, Cabinet Member for Transport and Regulatory Services, said: "Since 2023/24, Westmorland and Furness Council has used new funding to deliver significant improvements to public transport in rural and urban areas across the length and breadth of the area.

"Services which communities have relied on have been restored, protected and expanded to improve access to employment, education, healthcare and essential services. Increased service frequencies and extended evening and weekend provision on key corridors have made bus travel a more practical and reliable option for residents.

"I am proud that we are consistently using this funding in effective ways to do the most good and benefit communities and residents all over Westmorland and Furness."

Existing bus routes to be extended

The council plans to extend the operation of 25 existing routes funded through council resources over the last two years. These routes currently play a vital role in improving accessibility across the region and are estimated to generate approximately 218,000 passenger journeys per year, reducing car usage by up to 65,000 journeys annually.

Key routes that may see extensions include:

Barrow Biggar Bank (Walney) to Furness General Hospital, with improved frequency from 60 to 30 minutes on Sundays

improvements to weekday and weekend schedules for routes such as Barrow to Windermere, Kendal to Shap, and Penrith to Carlisle

Summer-only late evening and weekend services to popular destinations like Langdale, Coniston, and Grasmere

New potential bus services under review

The council will also consider introducing up to seven new routes to further enhance connections within Westmorland and Furness. Among them are proposed links such as a worker and visitor service from Bowness to Kendal, improved peak and off-peak capacity between Kirkby Stephen, Sedbergh, and Kendal, and a direct summer link from Grange Peninsula to the central Lakes.

Bus operators will provide pricing for the proposed routes, which will then be assessed using the Council’s Multi Criteria Assessment Framework (MCAF). The framework prioritises services based on social, economic, and logistical factors, rather than costs alone.