Anyone trying to catch a bus to Ulverston's new state-of-the-art health centre could find they are left out in the cold.

Ulverston Town Council has issued a letter of protest after Cumbria County Council announced that, following negotiations with Stagecoach, there would be a service every 90 minutes to the Stanley Street facility which opens in April.

Councillors say they were led to believe there would be a more regular service but instead the 511 Ulverston to Millom bus, which runs six times a day, is to be diverted to serve the centre.

"It's not going to help people from Croftlands if they have to catch two buses to get to and from the centre," complained Coun Colin Hodgson, who said the wait was too long and the service poor for those in Ulverston's outlying areas. "I don't think it's satisfactory at all."

Coun Dave Miller said many elderly people relied on the buses to get to the existing health centre on Victoria Road. They tailored their appointments around the regular 15-minute Barrow service but that option would end when the health centre services moved to the Stanley Street centre.

"You can walk there but there's a lot of people from Croftlands that will not make it," said Coun Miller, adding that in initial discussions about the centre, Stagecoach said it could provide a regular service there using vehicles idling at the bus station at Victoria Road.

"We should be writing to the county council saying this is what Stagecoach promised to do'," said Coun Norman Bishop-Rowe. "We were assured when the plans arrived to move the health centre up there that adequate public transport would be provided. This is totally inadequate."

Stagecoach's commercial director Chris Bowles said the company had not made any promises and that Ulverston Town Council's response was "premature".

"We are talking about diverting the 511 which is now going to happen and possibly extending some other services which now terminate at Victoria Road. But discussions about that are ongoing with the county council."

CCC-supported bus services are being re-tendered and there may be a chance to better serve the health centre in September.

CCC spokesman Justin Hawkins said if any new opportunities came up the authority would explore them but funds were limited.

"The 511 service is subsidised to the tune of £43,000 a year and by talking to Stagecoach we have managed to get it diverted to serve the new health centre. We realise it is not an ideal service.

"If you want to come from south Ulverston you have to change buses but there aren't the resources to do it differently and it's not easily do-able with the shift patterns and bus routes.

"We have done what we can with the money available."

But there was some good news for wheelchair users trying to get to the new centre under their own steam.

After a request from wheelchair group the Jolly Wheelers, county highways officials surveyed the streets with the Wheelers and plotted a special access route.

Pavements will now be adapted with dropped kerbs between Croftlands estate, the town centre and the health centre.

Ulverston's market towns initiative officer Jayne Kendall said: "It is good news the county council has taken this on board. I'm sure disabled groups, elderly people and those with push chairs will be pleased about this."