Bus services in Cumbria have been changed by Stagecoach to comply with government lockdown guidelines.
Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire is reducing some services but maintaining links for those that have to travel with early and late buses still running.
The changes will happen from Monday.
In most cases services that usually run half-hourly will reduce to hourly, more frequent services will become half-hourly and buses that run hourly or less will remain unchanged.
Current lockdown advice is that members of the public should stay at home wherever possible and avoid unnecessary journeys – this includes public transport.
These changes will affect Mondays to Saturdays, and there are no changes to services on a Sunday.
X4/X5’s short journeys between Workington and Keswick will not run, leaving an hourly service between Workington and Penrith.
All journeys will serve Brigham and Bridgefoot during the day.
Other changes include:
In Barrow, this means that the 1, 2 and 3 services become half-hourly, and the 6 becomes hourly (X6 is unchanged).
Carlisle’s 60, 104 and 685 become hourly, with 61/61A, 62, and 76 becoming half-hourly, and the 67 arriving every 20 minutes.
On the 62 there will still be buses around Kingmoor Park at peak times in the morning and early evening.
Early 685 journeys will still operate, though Friday and Saturday’s late-night services between Brampton and Carlisle won’t run for the duration of the lockdown.
Kendal and the Lakes sees the 41 become hourly with the 41A removed from the timetable, 42 and 42A will run every two hours, giving an hourly frequency for the majority of the route, and the 43 (43A is removed) and 44 also become hourly.
The 599 route is shortened and will only run between Windermere Rail Station and Bowness, with the 555 continuing as normal.
Further changes in West Cumbria will see the 1, 2, 29 and 52 running hourly, 3/3A is also hourly meaning a bus every 30 minutes to Mirehouse, 30 will run every hour to Egremont and Thornhill and every hour to Frizington, this means a bus every 30 minutes between Whitehaven and Maryport.
The 50/51 will both run every hour giving a bus every 30 minutes to Moorclose shops.
Rob Jones, managing director of Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire, said: “The Government’s COVID-19 guidelines are an ever-changing picture, and we will continue to change and adapt our routes to follow them.
“We are maintaining links for key workers and those that have to travel.
“Obviously the situation is not ideal, but safety is our number one concern. We ask that passengers only travel when necessary.”
