Penrith and the Border MP Neil Hudson was at Langwathby to present the keys of a new Mercedes Sprinter minibus to Fellrunner chairman Kevin McGilloway.
The Fellrunner Village Bus is run by a group of volunteers who have provided a community bus service across the Eden Valley since 1979.
The fleet of three minibuses give a service to over 50 villages providing a transport lifeline for passengers who do not have access to their own vehicles.
Mr McGilloway said: “I am very grateful to Dr Hudson for taking the time out to present us with the keys for our new minibus. I know he is a keen advocate of rural transport and schemes like the Fellrunner and we really appreciate that.
“Fellrunner couldn’t continue without the support we receive from Cumbria County Council, Eden District Council, Penrith Town Council and the majority of the parish councils in whose area we operate.
“There are many challenges ahead, not least the reduction in passengers following the COVID pandemic and we are working hard to attract new
passengers and new supporters.
“British Gypsum has stepped forward to help us recently and that has been so important in these difficult financial times.”
Dr Hudson said: “It was an honour to be asked to officially hand the keys over for the new Fellrunner bus to the chair, Kevin McGilloway. It was great to meet the volunteers, the drivers, and the passengers and talk with them about this brilliant service that we owe so much thanks
to.
“Better Connectivity is a key campaign of mine and I have been urging the Government to look at the serious issues that Penrith and the Border, and indeed Cumbria overall, face due to a lack of public transport links.
“Ultimately, Whitehall needs to understand that Cumbria is not London. With the rising cost of fuel becoming a worrying issue for people, this problem is only set to get worse if not addressed, disproportionately affecting elderly and disabled people who rely on these vital transport links.
“I have met with the transport minister to discuss the issues I raised directly to the Prime Minister about the disappointment I and many of my constituents felt about not being included in the recent tranche of bus funding.
“I will keep pushing the Government on this serious issue and I am proud to support volunteer services such as the Fellrunner that provide a lifeline to so many people in rural areas.”
Mr McGilloway added: “The new bus has been in service for a few weeks and is proving to be popular with passengers and drivers alike and now we start work raising money for our next replacement bus which needs to have low floor access and a wheelchair space so that everybody in our community has the opportunity to use our services.”
