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Month: April 2024

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ASLEF Strike Action in May

As a result of ASLEF strike action, Northern services will not operate on Thursday, 9th May 2024.

Additional disruption is expected between Monday, 6th and Saturday, 11th May due to action short of strike called by ASLEF. 

Customers are advised to check before they travel if they’re travelling with Northern or another train operator, as industrial action may affect multiple parts of their journey. Some Northern services are expected to be very busy on routes shared with other train operators.

Information about the industrial action for customers is available on our website at northernrailway.co.uk/strikes which will be regularly updated.

Vacancy For Gentle Exercise Volunteer Leader

Age UK South Lakeland are looking for enthusiastic Volunteer Leaders to host our weekly hour-long classes for older people in Grange, Endmoor and relief cover in the South Lakes area (including Arnside) which focus on gentle chair-based activities and exercises.

The classes provide a vital role in helping the community keep fit, active and healthy in a fun and supportive environment.

If you like working with groups and have an interest in physical activities, this could be the volunteer role for you! They will pay your expenses and training is provided.

If you can spare a few hours a week, or just a few hours a month and would like more information, please call Suzanne Ambrose on 01539 728118, or email sambrose@ageuksouthlakeland.org.uk

The next training day is on Thursday 16th May so don’t delay in getting in touch.

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Network Rail Photo

Furness Line to Open Next Week

Westmorland & Furness Council have advised that plans are well underway to reopen the Furness Line and resume services on Monday 22 April 2024. The timetable schedules should be loaded into the systems very shortly.

They are aware that It’s been a long and challenging few weeks and are aware how hard the closure of the line has hit local communities. Many people have shared their experiences and concerns, which have contributed to improved rail replacement services and customer information provision. However, they are aware the overall response to the situation could have been managed more effectively. They will be continuing conversations with rail industry colleagues to seek assurances that future incidents will be dealt with more efficiently and with relevant customer care.

Network Rail have issued the following press release:

‘Network Rail engineers have successfully repaired the embankment as part of a complex operation to recover the railway after a train derailed in Grange-over-Sands on Friday 22 March 2024. The next step is to re-lay the ballast (railway stones) and track before services can run again. Engineers confirm the work is on track to be completed next week.’

‘The derailment involved a Northern train coming off the tracks. A void in the ground was found around 150m away from the train. The team have been working around the clock to repair the damage as efficiently as possible. A specialist crane was brought in to rerail and remove the train from the site of the derailment. With the train safely removed, engineers could start to repair the railway. A variety of methods were used to carry out a thorough investigation into the ground conditions at the site, while also carrying out complicated repairs in the challenging environment.’

Passengers are advised to visit northernrailway.co.uk/service-updates for the latest travel advice.

Bus Timetable Poster

Improved Bus Service in Arnside!

Arnside now has a bus service to Kendal (552) on 6 days of the week. From Monday to Saturday, the bus will leave the Promenade at 9.30am, travelling though Milnthorpe, Heversham and Natland to Kendal. The return journey will leave Kendal Bus Station at 1.15pm.

On Tuesdays, the 550 will leave the Promenade at 9.30am, travelling via Carnforth to Morecambe. The return journey will be from Morrisons in Morecambe, leaving at 1.15pm.

There is an option to catch the school bus (99) to Kirkby Lonsdale during term time, leaving the the Promenade at 7.45am.

The reason for the improved service is that the Department for Transport has awarded Westmorland and Furness Council £1.7 million of Bus Service Improvement Plan Plus (BSIP+) funding to enhance services across the area in 2024/25.

To ensure that services supported by the latest tranche of BSIP+ funding meet the needs of communities and lead to well-supported provision, the Council has launched a consultation offering residents, businesses and visitors the opportunity to shape spending plans.

To have your say and complete the online Bus Service Improvement Plan Plus Funding Consultation, click here. The consultation ends on 30th April.

Councillor Neil Hughes, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environmental Services, said: “The £1.7 million funding awarded to our council, supports us in taking a significant step towards enhancing bus provision across Westmorland and Furness. Living in a rural area like ours, providing more frequent, enhanced services will open the door for our residents and visitors to choose travelling by bus as their preferred way to travel and create more enjoyable, sustainable journeys for all. It is the Council’s ambition to allocate the funding towards creating a network of well-supported bus services that moves us closer towards achieving our net-zero ambitions. We recognise that in order to do so, supported routes must meet the needs of communities and visitors across the area. I encourage you to take part in our consultation, whether you currently use bus transport or you aspire to, to make sure we get the most out of every pound that we spend.”

Six drop-in sessions have been arranged at various locations in April, providing communities the chance to engage directly with the Sustainable Transport Team and share their perspectives. Sessions will be held on the following dates in Barrow-in-Furness, Grange, Kendal, Kirkby Stephen, Penrith, Sedbergh and Ulverston:

  • Penrith Library – Thursday, 4th April, 10am to 2pm
  • Westmorland Shopping Centre, Kendal – Wednesday, 10th April,10am to 2pm
  • Grange Library – Thursday, 11th April, 10am to 2pm
  • Methodist Church, Kirkby Stephen – Thursday, 18th April, 5.30pm to 6.30pm
  • Sedbergh Medical Centre – Tuesday, 23rd April, 5.30pm to 6.30pm
  • The Coronation Hall, Ulverston – Thursday, 25th April, 10am to 2pm
  • The Forum, Barrow-in-Furness. Friday, 26th April, 10am to 2pm

For those unable to attend during the day, an online event has been arranged on Wednesday, 24th April from 6pm to 7pm. To receive a link to join, please email media@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk.

The Council is also exploring the possibility of holding additional public meetings at locations across the area.

Paper copies of the survey will be available to complete at Westmorland and Furness Council Libraries in Barrow, Grange, Kendal and Penrith from Monday, 25 March until the end of the consultation period on Tuesday 30 April.

For more information about bus services across Westmorland and Furness, visit westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk

Westmorland and Furness Council Logo

Survey – Wildlife & Nature in the Arnside Area

Sustainable Arnside invite Arnside residents to help Westmorland and Furness Council understand the needs of Arnside residents in relation to ‘Wildlife and Nature‘ locally by completing the survey below.

  • What do you think about nature and wildlife in your local area.
  • What are your favourite places?
  • How do you like to spend time in nature?
  • What birds, animals, and insects do you love to see?
  • By letting us know what is important to you, you’ll be helping to develop plans to make more space for nature in Cumbria. We’ll share your priorities and ideas with the organisations who look after local green spaces, nature reserves, and the countryside.

These questions are being asked as part of a process to develop a Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) – every part of England will be producing one as they’re required by law under the Environment Act 2021. Once it’s written, everyone in Cumbria will be able to use it to make sure that work to create and manage wildlife habitat is done in a way that brings the most benefits to people and nature.

Westmorland and Furness Council are leading the work on developing the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, working closely with Cumberland Council, Natural England, Lake District National Park Authority and Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, supported by Cumbria Local Nature Partnership, but want to hear what matters to you.

Whether you love watching the garden birds, enjoy an epic day exploring the fells, or are more at home rock-pooling by the sea, your views on nature are really important.

To complete the survey, click here before 31st May 2024.