A pair of brand new community buses are going into service in Ulverston and Coniston thanks to £50,000 from Cumbria County Council's South Lakes Local Committee.
The new 16-seat Mercedes buses have been specially modified to offer full disabled access and will be available to provide affordable transport for community groups and organisations in the area.
The new vehicles will replace two buses bought second hand by the local committee two years ago for the extremely successful community bus scheme which is proving increasingly popular.
The buses are operated on behalf of the county council by Community Transport South Lakeland. The group provides a Community Bus Brokerage Scheme which offers affordable, accessible transport to community groups and recruits and trains volunteer drivers.
The new buses have just been delivered. To mark the occasion local committee chairman Alan Bobbett will hand over the keys to the Trustees of CTSL at county offices in Kendal at 12 noon on 24th November. The Media are welcome to attend.
Mr Bobbett said: "This is money well spent. Demand for the community bus scheme is growing so now is exactly the right time to buy two brand new buses. We know they will be accessible for everybody, more comfortable, more sustainable to run and they will be well used by the community."
Tim Heslop, cabinet spokesman for transport, said: "Here in Cumbria we have to work hard and come up with innovative ways of providing transport where it is most needed. The CTSL scheme is a good example of a successful creative approach to rural transport so I am glad to see the local committee coming up with the cash to buy buses for this council-backed scheme."
Any community groups interested in hiring one of these vehicles should contact Mary Gough at CTSL 01539 735598.
Anyone interested in these types of services should contact Cheryl Cowperthwaite, Community Transport Officer, on 01228 606757 email etc.