Border Rambler CTS awarded best regional rural bus service 2023

Border Rambler CTS has been awarded Best Regional Rural Bus Service 2023 - North West in the fifth annual Northern Enterprise Awards.

The Border Rambler rural transport service has been running since 2014 and currently has two separate bus routes. 

The first runs from Carlisle Airport Business Park to Carlisle on Tuesdays and Fridays, while the second travels through the Brampton-Gilsland Circle on Wednesdays and Thursdays. 

The Border Rambler Trustees said: "This is a real feather in our cap and it shows recognition for the many hours of volunteer time put in by our team of drivers.  Now we want to expand our services – for which we need more volunteers! 

"Please contact us at info@borderramblerbus.co.uk if you might be able to help us. The new bus, delivered in the last few weeks, gives us the chance to expand the service, running on more days and covering new areas."

Equipped with a new bus funded by the National Lottery and Cumbria County Council, the Border Rambler is seeking additional volunteers to enable it to expand its vital community services. 

The Border Ramblers bus (Image: Supplied)On each trip, passengers can spend a couple of hours in town to do their shopping, attend appointments and meet friends, before the return journey delivers them home again. 

Tourists can use the bus to access Hadrian’s Wall and other visitor sites.  Cumberland Council provides administrative support and eligible passengers may use their ‘NOW’ cards to cover the cost of travel. 

Some of the Border Rambler regulars (Image: Supplied)

One regular passenger commented: "The Border Rambler is truly a lifeline for many of us who live in isolated places. We are so grateful to the volunteers, and we hope that this appeal will find enough new drivers to enable the service to expand and continue.”

Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, added: "This service provides such a vital lifeline for people in our isolated rural communities and I’m 100 per cent behind them working together with the local council to expand the number of routes they offer."