CUMBRIA County Council was this week forced to step in with stop-gap funding to keep Kendal's town centre buses on the road, reports Andrew Daniels.

However, the long-term future of the services remains in doubt after bus company Stagecoach announced that it plans to stop running all its commercial routes within the town from January 23, due to a large drop in passenger numbers over the last few years.

The move could have a huge knock-on effect for residents living in Oxenholme, Heron Hill, Sandylands, Hallgarth and Burneside, who would be left with no option but to drive, take a taxi or face a long walk into the town centre.

Managing director of Stagecoach North West Nigel Barrett said a combination of increasing fuel and wage costs, along with a dip in passenger numbers of 31 per cent since phase one of Kendal's traffic system was first introduced, had meant the company was left with no option. However, he did say the pedestrian priority zone, which runs along Stricklandgate from Library Road to Lowther Street and which was made permanent this week - was a system he supported.

"The services concerned no longer meet their operational costs, let alone contribute to overheads," he said.

However, there was some good news for bus passengers this week, when CCC's South Lakes local committee agreed to release £30,000 of its funds to continue the services until the end of the financial year. This would allow time for another operator to be found.

Councillors agreed it was an ideal opportunity to review bus services in Kendal to match the needs of the local community.

Kendal mayor Geoff Cook, who is a member of the local committee, said bus services were essential to the viability of the town and to the pedestrian priority scheme.

"Perhaps we could use this to improve the (bus) network and make the bus vehicles themselves more attractive, particularly with the large disabled contingent (in the community)," he said.

The possibility of losing all the town's services was described as a "disaster" by Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron.

"Many local people are highly dependent on Kendal's bus services. It would be a disaster if they were all to be withdrawn," he said.

"I am glad that Stagecoach and the county council have agreed to work together to find alternatives to the withdrawal of services. While any extra subsidy from the county council will undoubtedly impact on the council tax, it is important that the elderly, young and less well off are able to get around the town and do not become housebound."