Have your say on Cumbria's buses at Kendal Town Hall on Tuesday 6 October, 3.30pm to 7.30pm, or in a questionnaire open from 5 to 25 October.
People who use, or would like to use, buses around Kendal can tell the councils what they need on Tuesday 6 October. There is a drop-in at Kendal Town Hall from 3.30pm to 7.30pm.
It is part of the Cumbria Bus Reform Pilot Study, which is looking at whether the county’s buses could be planned, paid for and run differently. An online questionnaire opens on Monday 5 October and closes at midnight on Sunday 25 October.
Westmorland and Furness Council announced the next phase on 29 September, jointly with Cumberland Council.
What the study is
The Department for Transport is paying for the study. Cumbria is one of five areas picked to look at new ways of running rural buses, according to Cumberland Council. The two councils are working with the consultants Jacobs and Oxera.
When the pilot was announced in October 2025, Cumberland Council said it would explore new approaches “including the potential introduction of bus franchising” (Cumberland Council, 20 October 2025). Under franchising, the public body decides the routes, timetables and fares, and operators bid to run them. Today, operators largely decide those themselves on commercial routes.
The councils are clear that no decisions have been made. The 29 September release says the study is exploring different options, and its findings will “inform future discussions”. The new Cumbria Combined Authority will also have a role in setting transport priorities.
What they want to hear about
The questionnaire and the drop-ins will ask about:
- your experience of local buses now
- your priorities for the future
- how buses could better connect people to jobs, education and healthcare
- making travel more affordable and accessible
- rural connectivity, in a county where much of the network is rural
Feedback will be weighed alongside technical evidence as the options are assessed and recommendations drawn up.
All six drop-in events
| Date | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 5 October | Barrow-in-Furness Town Hall | 2pm to 6pm |
| Tuesday 6 October | Kendal Town Hall | 3.30pm to 7.30pm |
| Friday 16 October | Penrith Library | 12.30pm to 4.30pm |
| Saturday 17 October | Carlisle Library | 10.30am to 2.30pm |
| Tuesday 20 October | Keswick Library | 1.30pm to 4.45pm |
| Wednesday 21 October | Workington Library and Community Hub | 2pm to 6pm |
Kendal is the only drop-in in the south Lakes. The next nearest are Barrow, the day before, and Penrith, about 25 miles north, ten days later.
What it means for you
- Go on Tuesday if you can. The Kendal session runs into the early evening, so it is possible after work or the school run.
- Fill in the questionnaire between 5 and 25 October. The councils say it will be on both councils’ websites and engagement pages.
- Be specific. A missing early bus to Westmorland General Hospital, a last bus back from Windermere that leaves too soon, a fare that makes the car cheaper: that is the evidence a study like this can use.
- Nothing changes yet. This is a study, not a timetable change. Your current services are unaffected.
For travel over the festive period, see our Christmas train and bus times from Kendal. For works on the roads your bus uses, see Kendal roadworks this week.
Have your say