Bus route hope to boost surgery access

The surgery in Locke Road is difficult to get to for people without cars to get to

There are hopes a dedicated bus route to make it easier for people in the south of a city to visit their doctor will get the go-ahead.

The service between Durranhill and Carleton, in Carlisle, is one of a number of proposed routes currently put forward for procurement by Cumberland Council.

Councillor Robert Betton, who represents Botcherby as an independent, set up a petition, which has more than 1,000 signatures.

He said the route, which would service the Locke Road surgery, known as Carlisle Healthcare South, was "desperately needed".

Earlier this month Cumberland Council officially launched the procurement process for what was described as "a major expansion of bus services across the region".

Betton said of the route's inclusion: "I think it's absolutely brilliant because it's what the communities have needed for a long time since the surgery was built," the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported.

Catherine Gosson-Low, the practice secretary at Carlisle Healthcare, also welcomed the inclusion of the route.

She said: "I think that's going to be a really positive thing for the practice and it will really help with accessibility for people who don't have cars.

"Also, it's quite a long way from the nearest bus stop to the practice and it can only be a huge benefit."

However, Councillor Denise Rollo, portfolio holder for sustainable, resilient and connected places, warned that not all of the new routes may attract tenders due to "market constraints, such as vehicle and driver availability".