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Environment

Cumbria Bus Reform Map

Have Your Say on the Future of Bus Services in Cumbria!

Are you happy with the current bus service in Arnside? If not, this is your opportunity to HAVE YOUR SAY!

Cumbria has been selected by the Department for Transport as a ‘Bus Reform Pilot Study’ area. This gives Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council the opportunity to explore potential new ways of planning, funding and delivering bus services together.

The purpose of the pilot is to assess whether bus reform could help improve public transport outcomes across Cumbria, recognising the challenges of delivering reliable and accessible services in a predominantly rural county.

The study considers how the bus network can better support key council outcomes and priorities. The following draft desired outcomes for bus reform in Cumbria have been developed as part of this study, aligning with existing council outcomes:

Towards a Cumbrian bus network that:

  • Provides reliable, affordable and attractive connections to jobs, education, services and amenities.
  • Supports sustainable, resilient, diversified economic activity and development, supporting economic and social regeneration.
  • Meets the needs of diverse groups of people.
  • Towards improved integration of the Cumbrian bus network with other public transport and with active modes.

More information can be found on the Cumberland Council website.

Complete the survey by clicking here

It is part of the Cumbria Bus Reform Pilot Study funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) and being delivered in partnership with Westmorland and Furness Council, Cumberland Council, Jacobs and Oxera.

Arnside Parish Council Logo

Solar Panels Are Coming To Arnside Public Toilets

Arnside Parish Council is pleased to announce the installation of eight solar panels on the roof of the public toilets on the Promenade, along with battery storage and an inverter. The battery will store surplus electricity for use when needed, with any remaining surplus exported to the grid.

The work is scheduled for 22nd–28th September. During this time, the toilets may be partially unavailable at various points while installation is underway. We apologise for any inconvenience and will work with the contractors to keep disruption to a minimum.

Why are we doing this?
Our public toilets are an important facility for residents and visitors. They support families, older people and those with accessibility needs, and contribute to a positive visitor experience in the village.
However, running costs have risen significantly in recent years, particularly for electricity, water and servicing. Income from the toilets no longer covers all operating costs.

This solar installation will help reduce electricity bills, make the toilets more financially sustainable, lower carbon emissions and support renewable energy. The project is supported by a £5,000 capital grant from Westmorland & Furness Council. The total installation cost is £6,711, with Arnside Parish Council contributing £1,711.

The system is expected to save the Parish Council at least £1,680 each year in electricity costs, meaning our contribution should be recovered in around a year. This is a practical investment in an important village facility, helping to reduce running costs, protect the future of the public toilets and make better use of renewable energy.

Arnside Parish Council

National HIghways Logo

M6 Junctions 35 to 36: Safety Barrier Improvements

Advance warning of forthcoming safety barrier enhancements on the M6, between Junction 35 and 36 near Burton-in-Kendal in Cumbria. Work is scheduled to start on Monday, 14th September and expected to finish on Friday, 11th December 2026.

The work involves installing a new safety barrier in the central reservation which will help to ensure the continued safety and reliability of journeys along this section of the M6. To help keep drivers moving throughout the scheme, two lanes will remain open in both directions while this essential work.

For the safety of the workforce and road users, lane 3 will be closed both ways and a temporary 40mph speed limit will be in place for the duration of the work.

To set up a safe working area, there will be a series of overnight lane and road closures (8pm-6am) on the M6 between junction 35 and 36 from mid-September to early October. The motorway will only be closed on a limited number of occasions and at night when traffic levels are lowest. A full roadworks schedule will be available here.

Clearly signed diversion routes will be in place during any full road or slip road closures:

• M6 southbound motorists will be diverted via the A590 and A6
• Drivers wanting to leave the M6 at junction 36 during slip road closures will be diverted via the next junction and back

Drivers are advised to allow extra time for their journeys and we thank them for their patience while these improvements are carried out.

National Highways are working closely with Cumbria County Council and Lancashire County Council to carefully manage the impact on motorists and the surrounding community during our work. Access for emergency services will be maintained where possible.

Every effort is being made to minimise disruption to the community and road users, however, due to the nature of the work, some delays are unavoidable especially at peak times. We always aim to work to the programme, but unforeseen circumstances or poor weather conditions may mean changes happen at short notice.

For further information about the work, click here, or get in touch by calling the customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000 or email at: info@nationalhighways.co.uk.

Road Closure - The Strands, Milnthorpe to Arnside

Road Closure: B5282 – The Strands, Milnthorpe to Arnside

You may have seen the yellow signs giving advanced warning of the road closure between Milnthorpe and Sandside.

You may also have been struggling to read what they say as you drive past!

So, the official information is that the road will be closed overnight from 7pm on Thursday, 20th August to 5am on Friday, 21st for stud reinstatement and road lining works on the B5282, The Strands to Arnside.

Please note the programme dates are subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances, poor weather conditions and overrun of the programme etc.

Proposed New Development at Sandside

21st April 2026 Deadline For Comments On Amended Previously Proposed Development Plans at Sandside

Four years ago, a large development plan was proposed along the coast road at Sandside. The site includes the areas currently used by businesses along the road between the existing residential properties and The Ship Inn, as well as areas behind on Quarry Lane. The proposal was paused due to objections, however, it has now been re-submitted with some amendments to the original.

There is a very short deadline of 21st April 2026 for anyone to comment on the plan so, if you want to comment, you need to do it by Tuesday.

The application is for mixed use development including 160 residential units, restaurant/café and live/work units at land at Park Road and Quarry Lane, Sandside, Milnthorpe, LA7 7HW; Reference SL/2022/1177

The above includes three 4 storey blocks of flats, and a very modern design 5 story block with apartments on the ‘Waterfront’ part of the site – alongside the main road.

More information can be found here: https://planningregister.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/Planning/Display/SL/2022/1177

Bittern Sharing Community

The Bittern Sharing Community

The Bittern Sharing Community is a new group dedicated to facilitating tool sharing within the Arnside and Silverdale National Landscape, encompassing Storth, Beetham, the Yealands, and Warton.

The objective is to build a community of generously minded and trustworthy people to share things we have and don’t use regularly, or don’t have and need irregularly. With the aim of reducing our carbon footprint and deepening community connections.

The Arnside Repair Café will conduct PAT testing on all tools and provide minor repairs as necessary.

At present, the focus is on sharing low-risk tools, including:

  • DIY/household tools: handheld power sander, wallpaper stripper, gazebo, carpet cleaner
  • Garden tools: spades, forks, ladders (under 2m), hose pipes, outdoor extension leads
  • Kitchen equipment: pressure cooker, apple press, trestle tables, food dehydrator, water urn

Please note, the group does not facilitate sharing of tools with blades, commercial power tools, ladders over 2m, or any item requiring a license for use.

The BCCIC assumes no responsibility for loss or damage of items. Members are advised to share only those tools for which they are willing to accept this risk, and to review the user agreement prior to participation.

How it Works
Membership of the Bittern Sharing Community is free.

To join, there are two online sign up forms:

  • Quick sign up link – registering your interest
  • Full sign up link – including the items you’re willing to share

Borrow: A quarterly ‘List of Shares’ will be sent to all members so you can easily contact tool owners.

You can also use our Facebook group to request or offer items. Borrowing or lending via Facebook is subject to the Bittern Sharing Community User Agreement.

Return: Please return items within one week, unless you arrange a longer period with the owner.

To find our more or sign up, e-mail bitternsharing@gmail.com

Full details and the forms to join can be found here.

Westmorland and Furness Council Logo

Westmorland & Furness Council – ‘One Tree Per Resident Project’

In response to the climate and biodiversity crises, Westmorland and Furness Council want to help our communities to plant one tree, or one metre of hedgerow equivalent, for every resident. This means planting a quarter of a million trees over a five-year period.

Trees have various benefits for climate, biodiversity and communities, such as:

  • absorbing and storing carbon
  • providing shade and shelter
  • increasing biodiversity and enhancing landscapes
  • capturing air pollution and improving air quality
  • improving water quality
  • reducing soil erosion
  • reducing flooding risk

How to get involved

There are many different ways in which you can help reach our aim of planting 250,000 trees. If would like more details or want to tell us how many trees or hedgerows you have planted so we can count them, please contact us.

Free Trees for Residents: We are giving away free tree saplings as part of the ‘One Tree Per Resident Project’.

Who Can Apply: You can apply on behalf of:

  • you – as a resident
  • schools
  • town and parish councils
  • landowners
  • community groups

Trees and Hedge Packs: You can apply for multiple saplings. Larger planting schemes will be assessed for feasibility. Tree species and numbers are subject to availability.

Tree species: There are 10 species of tree in the scheme.

  • Crab Apple – Small gardens, pot-friendly, moist, heavier soil, pollinators and birds.
  • Field Maple – Medium to large gardens, moderately moist, wildlife and autumn colour.
  • Guelder Rose – Small gardens, pot friendly, moist, fertile soil, berries for birds (otherwise toxic)
  • Hawthorn – Small to large gardens, moist to dry soil, wildlife.
  • Hazel – Small gardens, pot-friendly, moist soil, not waterlogged, wildlife and nuts.
  • Juniper – Small gardens, pot-friendly. Dry, well-drained soil. Wildlife, berries for birds (otherwise toxic)
  • Rowan – Small gardens, pot-friendly. Light, moist soil. Berries for birds (otherwise toxic)
  • Silver Birch – Medium to large gardens. Moist, well-drained soil. Wildlife, light canopy.
  • Whitebeam – Medium to large gardens. Dry to moist soil. Birds.
  • Yew – Small gardens, pot-friendly. Dry to moist soil. Evergreen, berries (all parts of the tree are toxic)

Pick the trees suitable for your planting area. Some are suitable for pots if managed. Read advice on how to pick the right trees to plant, and how to plant them on the Woodland Trust website

How to Apply: Before you apply, you’ll need to know: Your chosen tree species and the What3Words location of your planting site.

Applications will be open until 30 November 2025, but may clsoe early subject to demand. Please note hedge packs are not currently available due to high demand.

Apply online by clicking here.

If you need an accessible version, please contact us by email, or visit one of our offices or libraries.

Contact us: We’re keen to hear from you if you:

  • are interested in linking as a partner
  • would like to get involved, or have any suggestions about how to get involved
  • want to record your tree planting under the ‘One Tree per Resident Project’.
  • have any questions about the scheme

Please get in touch by email: futuretrees@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk.

Partners: Our current partners include:

  • Forestry Commission
  • Lake District National Park
  • RAISE Community Forest
  • Ullswater Catchment Management CIC
  • Woodland Trust
  • Yorkshire Dales National Park

Progress: To date, we have planted 41,544 trees which is 17% of the total needed to achieve the goal of ‘One Tree per Resident’. This planting has been delivered by council teams, supported by the Community Orchard and Micro Woodland initiatives funded through the Coronation Living Heritage Fund.

Our key partner, Raise: Cumbria Community Forest, has also played a vital role in delivering additional planting schemes..

Thermal Imaging 2025-2026

Free Thermal Imaging For Arnside Residents

Sustainable Arnside is once again offering this FREE service to people interested in understanding the areas of their home that could potentially be insulated better and, in the long run, save money – which is most likely, all of us!

Thermal imaging can identify cold spots in your home, such as draughts around windows and doors, missing and defective insulation, water ingress, damp, and cold bridges. It can indicate both quick fixes as well as areas that require professional advice, giving the opportunity to make your home warmer, healthier, cheaper to heat and lower your home’s carbon footprint.

The thermal imaging camera detects the heat emitted by objects and shows it in a colour-coded way – the colder areas are shown in blue and the warmer ones in red.

Anyone is eligible for the home survey. All surveys are carried out by local volunteers in collaboration with Futureproof Cumbria.

The window for conducting thermal imaging is November – as the weather turns colder, through to the end of March – before the weather warms up.

To register your interest or for further information, contact: thermalarnside@gmail.com

To visit the Futureproof Cumbria website, click here.

HealthWatch Public Transport Survey

Help Shape Public Transport in Westmorland and Furness – Public Transport Survey from HealthWatch

Do you face difficulties getting to GP, hospital or other health appointments using public transport? We want to hear from you.

Transport is a recurring issue we hear about at Healthwatch Westmorland and Furness and your experiences could help improve the system for everyone. Wherever the Healthwatch team goes, we hear how difficult it can be to get to medical appointments if you:

  • Don’t own a car
  • Don’t have friends or family available to give you a lift
  • Aren’t eligible for patient transport services

From poor bus connections to high taxi costs, these barriers stop people from accessing the care they need. With Westmorland and Furness and Cumberland Councils developing a new Cumbria-wide mayoral authority – which will have powers over both public transport and health and wellbeing – this project is more important than ever.

What we’re doing

We’re collecting first-hand experiences of travelling to health appointments by public transport (buses, taxis, trains, community transport schemes, plus volunteer car schemes), whether that’s:

  • Primary care (GPs, dentists)
  • Secondary care (hospital)
  • Follow-on care (physiotherapy, rehabilitation programmes, therapy sessions, support groups)

Your appointment doesn’t have to be in Westmorland and Furness as we’re aware many people travel to Carlisle, Lancaster, Whitehaven, Preston, Newcastle and Northumberland for treatment. We’ll combine survey results with case studies and information from engagement events to create a report to take to public transport commissioners and service providers.

Our aim: to make a positive impact on future service provision.

How to get involved

📝 Take our survey: it takes less than five minutes to complete, depending on how much detail you choose to give. To take the survey, click here. Survey closes 31st October 2025.

📢 Share the survey with friends, family, and community groups.

🗣 Invite us to speak at your organisation or group meeting.

Who we want to hear from: We want to gather experiences from anyone who uses (or tries to use) public, community, or volunteer schemes to reach healthcare. In particular:

  • Disabled people
  • Older residents
  • People with long-term health conditions
  • Anyone without access to a private vehicle

Every voice matters, whether your journey has been smooth or difficult.

Why your voice matters – the information you provide will:

  • Highlight real barriers faced by local people.
  • Give decision-makers the evidence they need to make improvements.
  • Ensure transport planning reflects the needs of patients across Cumbria

This is your chance to help shape how transport services work for healthcare access in the future.

Contact us: 📧 info@healthwatchwestfurn.co.uk

📞 0300 373 2820

Healthwatch Westmorland and Furness is a patient voice organisation, listening to what people have to say about their health and social care.

Westmorland and Furness Council Logo

Westmorland & Furness Council Waste and Recycling Harmonisation

Following a Community Consultation that began in November/December 2024, these are the decisions based on the results of the consultation in which almost 3000 people took part – either by completing a survey and at in-person or online events. Further consultation will be required for the decision on whether or not to charge for garden waste collections. This will be included in the Budget Consultation, and a decision will be made by Full Council in February 2026.

What we want to achieve:

The proposals now agreed for future waste and recycling collections in Westmorland and Furness have been independently assessed against the following key criteria:

  • Reduce waste, increase recycling, and provide an improved service for our residents. To achieve .this, we have said that we want to create a single waste and recycling service for the whole of Westmorland and Furness.
  • Consistent Service – ensuring everyone receives the same services across all areas.
  • Improved Performance – making it easier and simpler for residents to waste less and recycle more.
  • Public perception – aligned with resident feedback from the ‘Community Conversation’ engagement, trial schemes and Options Consultation.
  • Carbon Impact – reducing the carbon impact of the service and contributing to the council’s net zero ambitions.
  • Strategic Fit – complies with Government legislation and Council Plan ambitions.
  • Achievability – difficulty implementing, considering things like costs/savings, available resources, need to buy new vehicles, containers etc. and how long will it take

We want to deliver collection services that make it easier and more convenient for people to recycle more and waste less, and that are more reliable, cost-effective and better for the environment.

What has been agreed

At a meeting of Cabinet on 9th September, councillors agreed new harmonised waste and recycling service arrangements for the whole of Westmorland and Furness. The following was approved:

  • Collections – The roll-out of an in-house waste and recycling collection service. This means that in the future, all collections will be delivered by council teams.
  • General Waste – Fortnightly residual (general) waste collections, using a 240-litre wheelie bin. Collections would be the alternate fortnight to recycling collections.
  • Recycling – Fortnightly recycling collection service using 2 x 180-litre wheeled bins. One wheelie bin will be for plastic, cans and glass and one will be for card and paper. Collections would be the alternate fortnight to residual waste collections.
  • Bespoke service arrangements will be looked at for any residents/communities that cannot adopt wheelie bins
  • Green Waste – No decision has been made on charges for garden waste and all options (no charging, partial charging and full charging) are still being considered. Any charges that are introduced for garden waste would be harmonised for the 2026/27 financial year and any proposed changes to fees and charges will be presented for approval, as part of the budget report, to Full Council early in 2026.

The first changes to collection services are expected to begin rolling out in the next few months, but the full implementation will take some time to complete.