Cumbria County Council's Local Committee for South Lakeland has come up with £21,000 to keep a special Ulverston bus running until it can fight its own corner in a forthcoming bus review.
The Ulverston health centre bus was started principally to help people get to and from the Stanley Street health centre which was brand new when the service began in May 2005.
The weekday service, operated by Stagecoach, was designed to serve as many residential areas as possible including Rydal Road, Well Lane, Oakwood Drive, Urswick Road, Victoria Road and Neville Street.
The South Lakeland committee initially provided £10,000 funding for a six month trial of the bus service and later extended their support until April 2007.
When the service started only 35 people were using it each week but passenger numbers have steadily increased and now it carries up to 245 people a week.
The £21,000 from the South Lakes Local Committee will keep the service running during 2007/8 until the Ulverston health centre bus is included in a wider review of services with a view to providing long term funding from the county council's central transport budgets.
Geoff Cook, chairman of South Lakeland Local Committee, said: "This is a good service for Ulverston with more and more people using it as time has gone on - we have agreed to fund it for another year because it's important for Ulverston and because we are confident that it will fare well and get funding in the coming review of services."
Ends
Media enquiries to Justin Hawkins, Media Officer on 01228 606334