PEOPLE living in rural areas in South Lakeland will welcome news of a successful and unique bus service being rolled out across the region.

Cumbria County Council's Rural Wheels service, which has served 20 parishes around Ulverston for more than four years, has been given £20,000 by the council's local committee for South Lakeland to introduce it to the rest of the area from October.

Ian Stewart, cabinet member for transport, backed the move and said he believed it would be of "considerable benefit" to people in rural areas, which were not served by a regular bus.

Since it began in 2002, the scheme, which runs Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, has made more than 10,000 journeys and carried more than 11,000 people.

Instead of using cash, passengers are given smartcards, which can be topped up at post offices and libraries, and the cost is 30 pence a mile.

After signing up, users are asked to telephone the council in advance to ask for the bus to stop for them.

For story in full see the March 16 Westmorland Gazette.