West Cumbria will be getting new Stagecoach buses after a £1m investment.

The sum was announced by Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire recently for buses exclusive to the Whitehaven and Workington areas.

Four will hit the road this week, with more in the following weeks.

This follows a £100,000 investment that upgraded Lillyhall's Stagecoach engineering facilities and recruiting new staff numbers.

This means that the engineering division will be at full capacity by the end of June 2024.

The new British-made vehicles will have enhanced durable leather seats and Euro 6 specification low-noise engines, offering the latest clean technology to decrease carbon emissions.

They will replace some older vehicles in the West Cumbrian fleet.

Tom Waterhouse, managing director at Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire said: "We are delighted to introduce these new buses to our fleet in what is a significant investment to local bus services across West Cumbria.

"We recognise the importance of local bus services across the region to all of us who live here, and this investment highlights our determination to deliver reliable, high quality services to our customers.

"This means that there will be more buses on the road in both Whitehaven and Workington, meaning more frequent services and an improved customer experience."

He added: "The new buses also come with low floor access, including a dedicated space for wheelchair users which will improve the attractiveness of local services in many of our communities, especially for customers travelling with shopping or those with reduced mobility.

"We look forward to welcoming customers on board our new buses across West Cumbria."

The new summer 2024 bus timetable is now in effect till November.