A weekly service to take people to Carlisle or Wigton from the Caldbeck area started this week.
Community Wheels is a transport scheme being co-ordinated by Cumbria County Council to help local communities not served by regular bus routes.
The “demand-led” transport starts as a weekly service from Caldbeck and district to Carlisle on the first Monday of the month, followed by journeys to Wigton for the remaining Mondays in the month.
A round trip return between Caldbeck and Carlisle would cost £6.50, and a round trip to Wigton £4.
A three-strong team of local volunteers successfully completed nationally accredited minibus driver training.
They are now on a rota to drive the 14-seater, fully accessible county council-owned minibus on journeys throughout the Allerdale district.
People wanting to use Caldbeck and district’s Community Wheels must live in the area and sign up as a member of the scheme in order to book a journey in advance.
To join, email antoinette.ward@northernfellsgroup.org.uk or phone 016974 78787.
Keith Little, the cabinet member for highways and transport at Cumbria County Council, said: “We have been working closely with a team of local people to set up this scheme, so that the local community can get out and about in their area.
“I would like to say a big thank you to our fantastic volunteers who make services like this possible.”
For information about how Community Wheels can be developed in your area, or to sign up as a volunteer driver, please contact Katy Wood, voluntary transport officer at Cumbria County Council, on 0333 2406965 (option 5) or 07788 396194.
The minibus is also available for group hires through Cumbria Community Transport, who can be contacted on 01946 812777.
