A meeting is being held in Scotby this week to discuss local bus services

The Border, Fellside and North Carlisle Community Panel is hosting an event on Tuesday, November 26, from 6pm-8pm at Scotby Village Hall.

The event is being organised by Cumberland Council and attendees will be able to talk to their local councillors and hear the latest plans for the region’s bus services from the council’s infrastructure planning manager. There will also be a Q&A session afterwards.

Cumberland Council has announced a range of proposals aimed at transforming the bus network across the region.

The first phase of the bus service improvement plan will see ‘significant enhancements’ to bus services this autumn according to the council.

The council has been working with members, bus operators, and community stakeholders to develop strategies to revamp and expand services.

In partnership with Stagecoach, the council hopes to deliver a more reliable and accessible network that connects communities across the region.

The changes include the reintroduction of the Route 60 bus service between Silloth and Maryport, as well as improvements to the Rockcliffe to Durdar Route 101.

The Workington to Carlisle Route 300 will see an increase in frequency, with buses running every 30 minutes.

Bus services have been frequently criticised in recent months and one Carlisle resident has said that the bus service in the city is ‘not fit for purpose’.

Leanne Stevenson said that frequent cancellations, late services and broken-down buses have made the service ‘unusable’ in Carlisle.

The service has gone downhill drastically,” said Leanne.

“There's barely any buses running on time at the moment and as a parent who takes her children to Newman School, I've seen a huge rise in traffic around the school because parents are now having to opt to take their kids to and from school themselves in order for them to get there on time and get home safely.”

In response, Stagecoach said that they have been able to operate more than 97 per cent of services despite a number of ‘challenges’.

The Border, Fellside and North Carlisle Community Panel covers the wards of Belah, Stanwix Urban, Longtown, Brampton, Houghton and Irthington, Corby and Hayton and Wetheral.