3/11/2004 - New bus times in the Eden Valley

Research into how people use Cumbria County Council’s supported bus services in the Eden Valley has led to a number of changes to routes in the area and the introduction of some new services.

The Eden Area Review of bus services set out to consult service users, parish councils and other interested parties on bus services in the area which are supported with county council funds in an effort to make sure public money is being spent to best effect.

Resulting changes, from Monday, 1 November, include:

A new evening service now runs between Penrith and Shap at 8.55pm Monday to Saturday with extra departures on Friday and Saturday at 9.45pm. It will run from Shap to Penrith at 8.30pm Monday to Saturday with extra departures on Friday and Saturday at 10.10pm.

The Monday to Saturday 563 service between Kirkby Stephen and Penrith is being diverted to serve Kirkby Thore, in response to passenger demand, at 10.22am (returning at 2pm). 

There will also be improved connections from Kirkby Stephen to Sedbergh and Kendal via a link with the 564.

On the 564 itself, there have been changes to the times of most journeys and there is a new morning link for and Newbiggin on Lune to Kendal.

The current 100 service, Long Marton to Appleby, is being withdraw. Instead, to provide people in Long Marton and Brampton with a service to Penrith, a Tuesday to Friday shuttle bus will run to Appleby to connect with the 563 to Penrith.

The old 2.50pm departure of the 105 Penrith - Greystoke - Penrith service now leaves five minutes later at 2.55pm after consultation with local people. The 5.35pm departure from Penrith will leave at 5.40pm to help people who finish work at 5.30pm.

Due to low usage, the 111 Penrith - Bampton - Burnbanks service Tuesday to Saturday will no longer call at Shap on Saturday.  But, in summer 2005, a new link with the 111 will serve Langwathby railway station on the Settle to Carlisle line. The link will be funded by Friends of the Lake District.

The timetable of the 625 Appleby to Penrith via Knock service has been amended in line with passenger requests to allow extra time in Penrith. The service will also be re-routed from Newbiggin to provide additional Saturday services for Culgaith and Langwathby.

Kevan Wilkinson, county council cabinet member for transport, said: "It is sometimes a struggle to keep rural bus services going and Cumbria County Council spends a significant amount of money supporting services to make sure people can get around the county. With this review of supported services in the Eden Valley we have listened to the people who travel on our bus routes and tried to give them a better service and make better even better use of public money."