MP’s delight as Cartmel Peninsula bus service is saved!
Cumbrian MP Tim Farron has warmly welcomed this morning's news that a new provider has been found to take over the running of the 530 bus service from the Cartmel Peninsula to Kendal.
The 530 was set to be withdrawn at the end of next week but Kirkby Lonsdale Coaches have stepped in to take over the running of the service.
A petition launched by Tim, calling for local councils and bus companies to work together to find a solution to save the service, received almost 500 signatures from local residents.
Kirkby Lonsdale Coaches plan to retain almost all the current timetable, but also to add a Saturday service, and on Saturdays and weekdays outside school term time, to offer an extra later return from Kendal.
The service, which is set to start on Monday 24th July, will also return to running via Levens which will restore a five day a week service to the village. The service will also additionally run on most Bank Holidays.
The company are part of the Department for Transport's maximum £2 Single scheme meaning that passengers using this service will now be able to take advantage of lower fares.
Tim said: "This is absolutely brilliant news and I'm massively grateful to everyone who signed our petition and backed the campaign.
"I want to say a huge thank you to councillors and officers at the new Westmorland and Furness Council who have worked their socks off to get this over the line, and of course to Kirkby Lonsdale Coaches who have stepped in to save this service.
"It's so important that this bus service has a long term future and that can only happen if people use it. So I would encourage everyone on the Cartmel Peninsula to take advantage of this fantastic service."