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Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancs. has given details to the Bus Users' Group of its planned service revisions that will take effect on 3rd April 2016. There are large-scale reductions to timetables with some services disappearing altogether following Lancashire County Council's decision to cease all subsidies for local bus services.
Here is the effect the cuts will have, including those services provided by Battersby's and Kirkby Lonsdale Coach Hire, which are also affected:
1. Silverdale Shuttle
Service withdrawn
5 Overton - Morecambe - Carnforth
The late evening service is withdrawn, with last through buses at 1840 from either end of the route and a 1940 from Overton and Carnforth as far as Morecambe. The Sunday service will continue but will close down one hour earlier than on weekdays.
5B Brookhouse - Morecambe
Service withdrawn
5C Carnforth - Crag Bank - Morecambe
Service withdrawn
7 Vale - City Centre - Marsh
Evening and Sunday journeys withdrawn. On Mondays to Saturdays buses from Marsh will run through to Ridge every 30 minutes via the Bus Station. Vale will have a separate service to George Street running every 20 minutes. Journeys to Marsh will operate as service 9. Last buses to Marsh at 1855 and Vale at 1820
Evening and Sunday journeys withdrawn. On Mondays to Saturdays buses from Marsh will run through to Ridge every 30 minutes via the Bus Station. Vale will have a separate service to George Street running every 20 minutes. Journeys to Marsh will operate as service 9. Last buses to Marsh at 1855 and Vale at 1820
10 Lancaster - Ridge
Evening and Sunday journeys withdrawn. On Mondays to Saturdays buses from Ridge will run through to Marsh on service 9 via the Bus Station every 30 minutes. Last bus from Bus Station to Ridge at 1928
42 Lancaster - Blackpool
The evening journeys operated by Kirkby Lonsdale Coach Hire will be withdrawn. The situation over the Sunday service (which is subsidised during the winter) is unclear.
UPDATE: Stagecoach has confirmed that the Sunday service will continue during the winter months but that the last journey of the day in each direction will be withdrawn
UPDATE: Stagecoach has confirmed that the Sunday service will continue during the winter months but that the last journey of the day in each direction will be withdrawn
33 Morecambe - Bare (Circular)
Service withdrawn
49 Lancaster - Halton
Off-peak journeys will be extended to Warton via the Kellets and Carnforth, replacing service 51.
Evening journeys on service 81 that run via Halton are withdrawn but Halton will keep a service on 49 up to 1900 hrs. Sunday service is, however, withdrawn.
51 Lancaster - Carnforth - Silverdale.
This service is withdrawn. It is replaced between Lancaster and Warton by revised service 49 (see above), but there will be no service beyond Warton. Evening and Sunday service is withdrawn.
55 Lancaster - Carnforth
Late evening journeys operated by Kirkby Lonsdale Coach Hire are withdrawn. Daytime journeys will run to a new timetable. Last Bus from Lancaster at 2200 and Carnforth at 2223
80 Lancaster - Ingleton
The 0655 from Ingleton to Lancaster will start at Hornby at 0741. There will be other changes to the timetable but a basic two-hourly daytime service will continue. Buses will return from Lancaster at 1015, 1215, 1415, 1525 (Hornby only) and 1715 (Not Saturdays)
81 Lancaster - Kirkby Lonsdale
Buses will run every two hours via Hornby, Melling and Tunstall (i.e. not serving Wray or Wennington, which are served by service 80). The only buses via Gressingham and Whittington will be those serving QE School in Kirkby Lonsdale.
There will be no evening or Sunday service. Last bus from Lancaster will be at 1730 and from Kirkby Lonsdale at 1715.
89 Lancaster - Knott End on Sea
Service withdrawn
The above changes have now been registered with the Traffic Commissioner to take effect on Sunday, 3rd April 2016. We will make full timetables available on this site as soon as we receive them.
The Bus Users' Group will continue to press the County Council to make some funding available to maintain a service to those areas where all buses are to be withdrawn. The budget cuts are due to be approved by the full Council on 11 February but it has already announced that a cross-party Working Party will be set up to decide how best to spend the £2M per annum remaining funding that was initially allocated to support volunteer-led bus services under the Parish Bus Scheme.
Lancaster Bus Users' Group will put proposals to the Working Party in favour of maintaining a reduced conventional bus service instead of relying on volunteers. The Group is also keen to work with parish councils or other interested parties to see if funding can be found to add to a basic service level or indeed to provide one, should the county council decide not to do so.
