Funding provided by the Labour government to Cumberland’s Labour council will provide the biggest boost to bus services in our area in a generation.
(This page includes information about new publicly funded bus services Labour is delivering in 2025/26 – for information about what I’m doing to try to improve existing commercial services click here)
Bus routes across our region have been slashed by more than 50% since 2010. Many towns and villages have no or very poor access to bus services. Now, all that is changing.
The new Labour Government provided £5 million to Cumberland’s Labour council to support bus services 2025-2026 and £18 million from 2026 to 2029.
Using the £5 million for this year, the council has carried out a £3.5 million procurement to deliver the biggest boost to bus services in West Cumbria in a generation.
Here’s what the changes mean for our area:
🚏 30 & 300 – the improved Sunday timetables funded last year for these services from Frizington/Thornhill-Maryport and Workington-Carlisle will continue for another year.
View the timetable for these services here
On 1st December, new regular timetabled services from Whitehaven-Barrow and Whitehaven-St. Bees were introduced
🚏 X7 & 7 – Whitehaven – Hensingham – West Cumberland Hospital – Bigrigg – Egremont – Thornhill – Beckermet – Calder Bridge – Gosforth – Seascale – Holmrook – Ravenglass and onwards to Millom and Barrow
Main stops listed only – all stops available on the Stagecoach app
🚏 32 – Whitehaven Duke St – Preston St Asda – Low Rd – St. Bees Rd – St. Bees – Egremont
Main stops listed only – all stops available on the Stagecoach app
From 5th January, the no. 22 will be upgraded and it will connect to a new 1/1A Whitehaven Town Service
🚏 22/22A – Whitehaven – Hensingham – West Cumberland Hospital – Goose Butts – Moor Row – Bigrigg – Egremont – Cleator – Cleator Moor – West Cumberland Hospital – Hensingham – Whitehaven
See the full route map for this service
Main stops listed only – all stops available on the Stagecoach app
🚏 1/1A – Whitehaven – Bransty – Parton – Rosehill Theatre – Moresby Parks – Whitehaven
Main stops listed only – all stops available on the Stagecoach app
From 5th January, a new direct express service between West Cumberland Hospital and Carlisle via Whitehaven, Cockermouth and Cumberland Infirmary will be up and running
🚏 600 – West Cumberland Hospital – Whitehaven – Parton (A595) – Distington – Lillyhall – Bridgefoot – Cockermouth and onwards to Cumberland Infirmary and Carlisle
See the full route map for this service
Main stops listed only – all stops available on the Stagecoach app
These are services residents asked for that local Labour councillors and I have worked together to deliver. With huge thanks to Cllr Denise Rollo and the team at the council for a massive amount of work to make it happen.
Plans for the £18 million investment from 2026 to 2029 will be announced in the coming months.
Funding secured by Labour MPs from a Labour Government being put to use for the benefit of our communities by Labour councillors and a Labour council. 🌹
The Tories slashed routes, Labour in national and local government is working together to restore them.
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Josh MacAlister MP 