The new Saturday bus service will be the first Saturday Bus service for many communities South of Penrith along the A6 in 15 years and will be operated by the volunteers of the Fellrunner bus group.
Clifton Community Council has said that it approached Fellrunner about the potential of a Saturday service having the support of the volunteer 106 Bus group who operate a service between Penrith and Kendal on Tuesday and Friday to explore the service potential as the 106 Bus group was unable to run a Saturday bus service due to been unable to secure a bus operator to provide a Saturday service.
Clifton Community Council said it had worked to establish a Saturday service for the community after a rural mobility survey by the council identified a Saturday bus would be one of the most beneficial improvements for rural connectivity.
After what a spokes person for the Fellrunner group has said was “a lot of work by the volunteers at the FellrunnerBus Group” the Traffic Commissioner has given permission for services to start from Saturday 4 November and the buses will run every Saturday, all year around.
The Shap to Penrith service will depart from The Greyhound, Shap, at 09.55 calling at all Shap bus stops and then travelling via Thrimby (10.04), Hackthorpe (10.05), Lowther Village (Castle and Gardens on request) (10.09), Clifton (10.14) to arrive at Penrith Bus Station at 10.30.
The bus will drop at Sainsburys, King St, Aldi, Railway Sation, Booths/Morrisons and Middlegate as required.
Passengers will get three hours in Penrith with the return service leaving Penrith Bus Station at 13.30, returning as per the outward journey to arrive back in Shap at 14.00.
Being based at Langwathby, the Fellrunner will also run a Saturday service from Langwathby Bus Shelter (09.00), Edenhall (09.04), to arrive at Penrith Bus Station at 09.20.
Fellrunner Chairman Kevin McGilloway said “We are very pleased to be able to offer these new services to give passengers the opportunity to get to and from Shap and Langwathby to Penrith on Saturdays.”
“Fellrunner is a volunteer run community bus group using accessible minibuses to provide a service to nearly 60 Eden villages each week on routes that are not commercially viable, and we know that our buses provide a lifeline for many passengers in the area who do not have access to transport of their own.”
“The service will also enable passengers without access to a car to get to Lowther Castle and Gardens and enjoy a leisurely visit to this lovely attraction”.
Fellrunner buses can be used free by bus pass (NOW card) holders and children under 17 and cash single and return fares are available for other passengers.
Full details of the new services can be found on the Fellrunner Village Bus website https://goto.penrith.town/Fellrunner-Bus or by calling Fellrunner on
Clifton Community Council Chair Cllr Jonathan Davies said “We are delighted that the Fellrunner bus service will provide a much needed Saturday bus service for Clifton and neighbouring communities.”
“Our survey on rural mobility identified a desire and need for a Saturday bus that will enable the younger members of our community who are to young to drive and relied on family to take them into Penrith. The bus will provide a vital link into Penrith offering them independence on travel as well as providing a vital alternative mode of transport for all in the community and the option to leave the car at home.”
“The service will also offer links to Lowther Castle and Shap as well as offering people the opportunity to come and Explore Clifton and it’s hoped link well with our plans for improvements to cycling and walking routes around Clifton and to Penrith.”
“The new Fellrunner service does need the support of the community through using the new bus service as does our 106 Bus that operates on Tuesday and Friday.”
The Fellrunner Village Bus has been making a positive difference to people’s lives in the local area for over 40 years. In 2021 they were awarded The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service which recognises the 'outstanding achievement by a group of volunteers'.
Fellrunner services were launched in November 1979 after two years of planning by the local community. The first bus was a 17-seater Ford Transit minibus leased from the County Council, but since 1996 the buses have been owned by the Fellrunner who currently have three buses serving communities around Penrith who have had no bus services.
Members of our Penrith.Town team will be hopping aboard the Fell Runner on the 4th November from Shap to Penrith and may have some Penrith.Town bags to give away to the first passengers travelling on the new bus service.
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