If government funding for buses is not extended, then bus services may have to be cut according to an industry group.
The Confederation of Passenger Transport has warned that as many as 15 per cent of services could be cut across the UK, including Cumbria.
The government capped single fares at £2 until the end of March Stagecoach has said that the uptake of the tickets in Cumbria has been high – particularly in rural areas.
Many parts of rural Cumbria rely on bus services to stay connected and a charity for rural areas said that more places could become ‘transport deserts’ without bus services.
Sarah McMonagle, acting director of campaigns and policy at CPRE, the countryside charity, said:
“Rural communities up and down the country know from painful first-hand experience the impacts of underfunding our bus services.
“Too many people have already been languishing in transport deserts.
“Public transport for rural communities needs to be considerably strengthened, not cut still further.”
READ MORE: Over 50 per cent of region's care homes are 'failing', says care body
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here