Bus passengers in Barrow are to get an enhanced service thanks to Cumbria County Council who has agreed with Stagecoach to upgrade the service running between North Scales and the Town Hall.
The county council currently supports an off peak daytime service between North Scales and Furness General Hospital operating hourly between 09:30 and 14:42. This has carried over 21,000 passengers in the last 12 months
As part of the County Council's 'Transforming Passenger Transport' review of bus service provision across the Cumbria, the service provided to North Scales was identified as being below the set criteria.
A number of improvements are now being made to the service including an upgrade which will see buses running every 30 minutes from North Scales to the Town Hall from 09:30 to 16:00 with an hourly service until 18:00.
Buses will return from the Town Hall every half hour from 09:44 to 15:44 then hourly until 17:44. The service will no longer run to Furness General Hospital via the Cemetery, but connections will be made at the Town Hall with service 1 which runs to the Hospital every 10 minutes.
There will also be a new hourly evening service running from North Scales to the Furness General Hospital via the Town Centre with the last departure from the Hospital at 21:00 (21:14 from the Town Hall).
The changes will come into effect on 23 July and new timetable leaflets will be available from all the normal local outlets nearer the time.
As part of its 'Transforming Passenger Transport' review, the county council also plans to investigate the introduction of a Sunday service for North Scales from Spring 2008.
County councillor Ian Stewart, cabinet member responsible for environment, transport and planning, said: ""These improvements to the bus network in Barrow will improve cross town links, which I am sure will benefit many people using buses for a variety of reasons.
"The changes will improve public transport in Barrow as a whole but particularly for people travelling from north Walney. The changes will make it easier for people making their journey by bus, encouraging the use of public transport.
"These improvements are being introduced because the changes meet the requirements of the 'Transforming Passenger Transport' criteria which was agreed last year by the county council's cabinet."
ENDS
Media enquiries to Mark Graham, Media Officer on 01228-606337