New flexible bus service to launch across South Cumbria
A new bookable bus service is set to launch across South Cumbria, giving people in rural communities more choice over when and where they travel.
The Extra Mile service will begin operating in and around Ulverston on Monday, July 20.
Unlike a normal bus route, it will not follow one fixed timetable. Passengers will instead be able to book a journey based on when they need to travel.
How The Extra Mile service will work
The service uses a digital demand responsive transport system.
Passengers choose their pick-up point, destination and preferred travel time. They can ask to leave after a set time or arrive by a certain time.
The booking system will then match nearby requests together and offer a suitable shared journey.
Passengers will also receive an alert when the vehicle is on its way. Return journeys can be booked through the same system.
Which areas will be covered?
The first pilot will cover a wide area around Ulverston and the Furness peninsula.
The service area will extend south towards Roa Island and Roose. It will also cover places around:
- Stank
- Newton-in-Furness
- Askam
- Kirkby-in-Furness
- Foxfield
- Duddon Bridge
- Broughton Mills
- Torver
- Satterthwaite
- Thwaite Head
- Witherslack
- Meathop
- Grange-over-Sands
- Flookburgh
The service will connect rural areas with nearby towns and other important destinations.
However, people will not be able to use it for journeys made entirely within Ulverston. The council said other public transport options are already available within the town.
Service designed for work, healthcare and shopping trips
Westmorland and Furness Council said the scheme aims to make it easier for rural residents to reach employment, education and healthcare.
It could also help people travel for shopping, leisure activities or visits to friends and relatives.
The project is funded through the Government’s Rural Mobility Fund.
Councillor Adrian Waite, the council’s cabinet member for environmental services and transport, said limited public transport can create a major barrier for people living in rural areas.
He said The Extra Mile was designed to fit around people’s lives rather than asking residents to plan everything around a fixed bus timetable.
When will the buses run?
The service will operate during the following hours:
Monday to Saturday: 7am to 7pm
Sunday: 10am to 4pm
Telephone bookings will also be available from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday.
Passengers can book by calling 0333 240 6965 and selecting option two, followed by option four.
Free travel during first two weeks
All journeys on The Extra Mile will be free during its first two weeks of operation.
The free travel period will run from the launch on Monday, July 20, until Sunday, August 2.
Details of fares after that date have not been included in the launch announcement.
Penrith service planned later this year
The Ulverston area will host the first pilot of the scheme.
A second Extra Mile service is due to launch around Penrith later in 2026.
The council said demand responsive transport could help improve connections across a large and sparsely populated county, where traditional bus routes are not always practical
