AREAS of concern in relation to public transport in Cumberland will be identified for further investigation next week.

Members of Cumberland Council’s place overview and scrutiny committee are due to meet at The Copeland Centre in Whitehaven on Wednesday (November 20).

They will consider a report – Scoping Review Activity in relation to Transport – which contains a summary of some key issues and activities in relation to public transport in north and west Cumbria.

Members are asked to define some key areas of focus for further scrutiny review activity on the issue of transport and agree that a workshop be held in either December 2024 or January 2025 to consider the outputs and outcomes of the current consultation on bus services.

The report states: “In November 2023, during a discussion on the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, the place overview and scrutiny committee highlighted the importance of public transport to accessibility and reducing car usage in Cumberland.

“The Committee agreed an intention to undertake a Scrutiny Review on the topic of public transport.

“There have been a number of developments over the past year in respect of public transport and the relevant council services. It is now timely to plan some in-depth work on transport to begin over the coming weeks.

“Committee members have identified an intended focus on bus services in Cumberland. All Councillors have had the opportunity to receive briefings on bus service improvement over the summer through the council’s community panels, and further engagement with members and partners is now taking place through a series of community panel network events over the autumn.”

According to the report, in terms of longer-term planning, the government is expected to provide new guidance on the requirements and development of Local Transport Plans shortly.

It adds: “Following this, it is expected that work will begin on developing a new Local Transport Plan for Cumberland which will set out long-term ambitions in relation to transport in Cumberland.

“The development of the plan will be a long-term piece of work and it will be important for Overview and Scrutiny Members to be engaged early and throughout that process.”

According to the report the following issues and questions may help members to identify initial focus:

  • What do members want to achieve?
  • Why is passenger/public transport important?
  • What are the challenges or barriers faced by residents or communities in relation to transport – what evidence is there, what do we know?
  • What would good or adequate services look like?
  • What would good or adequate infrastructure look like?
  • Are there different issues in different areas – urban areas, rural areas, etc?
  • What types of services need focused on – bus services, and / or train services, and/or other services (eg on demand transport services)?
  • Is affordability of transport an issue?
  • Are transport services financially sustainable / viable now and in the future?
  • Are transport services environmentally sustainable now and in the future?
  • What information do members require?
  • Who do members want to speak to – who are the key stakeholders?

Wednesday’s public meeting is due to begin at 10.30am.