Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire

[enrag2000]

RE: Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire
Several of the Enviro200s in Carlisle are being fitted with moustaches on the front grille in support of the Movember charity appeal.

The last of the Cumbria County Council subsidised services finished at the weekend and together with the end of the summer services, three fewer Solos are now required at Carlisle/Penrith as well as the open-toppers coming off the 78. The Solo all-day board which covered the 71 Anthorn and 101 Rockcliffe services has been cancelled and the 73, 77 and 77A have finished for the winter. To continue to give a service to Rockcliffe, two 101 journeys are run off the 520 school contract which now does only two journeys on the 94 (the 97 has been cancelled) and is usually worked by 22269. For Anthorn/Kirkbride/Newton Arlosh, two 71 journeys are run in conjunction with the Wigton school contract and today it is worked by 20459. At Penrith, the 78 (Keswick-Seatoller) has been drastically reduced compared to previous winters and is now off-peak only, linked with the X9 (West Cumbria-Newton Rigg).

The 71, 94 and 101 journeys are now all run commercially (as has the 69 since September) but they are all linked with school contracts and if Stagecoach should ever lose these contracts, these services are unlikely to survive. The 680 to Alston was held by Telford's and this has been withdrawn without replacement so the town of Alston is isolated with only a college-day service to Carlisle and a one day a week service to Hexham, which is courtesy of Northumberland County Council.