The News and Star reports that the Confederation of Passenger Transport has warned that as many as 15 per cent of bus services could be cut across the UK, including Cumbria, if government funding for buses is not extended

Following the government initiative to cap single fares at £2 until the end of March, bus provider Stagecoach has said that the uptake of the tickets in Cumbria has been high – particularly in rural areas.

Many parts of rural Cumbria rely on bus services to stay connected and a charity for rural areas said that more places could become ‘transport deserts’ without bus services.

Sarah McMonagle, acting director of campaigns and policy at CPRE, the countryside charity, said:

“Rural communities up and down the country know from painful first-hand experience the impacts of underfunding our bus services. Too many people have already been languishing in transport deserts. Public transport for rural communities needs to be considerably strengthened, not cut still further.”

Full article:

The News and Star - Potential 'transport deserts' if bus services cut in rural Cumbria

CPRE, the countryside charity are members of the Rural Services Network.  You can find out more about them here.