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Regional Cumbria · West Cumbria

£401 million for Cumbria's roads and buses over four years, and it's being decided here this time £401 million plan for Cumbria's roads, bridges and buses approved for the next four years

By Kris WM, editor 3 min read From penrith.town
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£401 million plan for Cumbria's roads, bridges and buses approved for the next four years
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The county's new combined authority has signed off £401 million to spend on roads, bridges, buses and footpaths over the next four years. Cumberland Council will still do the actual work round here.

This one's for anybody in West Cumbria who drives, gets the bus, walks or cycles, and has ever wondered who picks which roads get sorted.

On Monday morning, 26 October, Cumbria Combined Authority signed off a £401 million transport plan. It runs four years, 2026/27 to 2029/30, and it's how the county will spend the transport money the Government's handed down. The Department for Transport confirmed how much Cumbria was getting back in December 2025.

They put it together with Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council. It covers fixing roads, bridges, footpaths, street lights and drains, plus money for buses and community transport. There's also cash for bus stops, walking and cycling routes, getting to railway stations and electric car charging, and some to plan future schemes.

Round here, Cumberland Council will still draw up and do the actual jobs. The combined authority sets the priorities for the whole county and keeps an eye on progress. They've also agreed some stopgap priorities until a proper Local Transport Plan gets written, once Cumbria's first mayor is elected in May 2027.

Councillor Mark Fryer, who chairs the combined authority, said: "Devolution gives us more control over how transport funding is spent in Cumbria. We know the challenges people face here, and we should be making decisions locally about how to tackle them."

He added: "For people across Cumbria, the test will be better roads, more reliable journeys and easier access to work and services. That is what we need to deliver."

They haven't said yet which West Cumbria jobs are getting done.

What you can do: report potholes, broken street lights and blocked drains to Cumberland Council online, so they're on the list. And keep the mayor vote in May 2027 in mind, because transport's going to be a big part of that job.

Cumbria Combined Authority has approved a £401 million Local Transport Delivery Plan covering 2026/27 to 2029/30. It pays for road, bridge, footpath, lighting and drainage repairs, support for buses and community transport, and walking, cycling and station access schemes.

This is for anyone in West Cumbria who drives, takes the bus, walks or cycles, and has wondered who decides which roads get fixed.

Cumbria Combined Authority approved a £401 million Local Transport Delivery Plan on the morning of Monday 26 October. It covers four years, from 2026/27 to 2029/30, and sets out how transport money devolved from the Government will be spent across the county. The Department for Transport confirmed Cumbria's funding settlement in December 2025.

The plan was drawn up with Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council. It includes money to maintain roads, bridges, footpaths, street lighting and drainage, plus support for bus services and community transport. There is also investment in bus stops and interchanges, walking and cycling routes, access to railway stations and electric vehicle charging, with further funding to develop future schemes.

Cumberland Council will still design and deliver the schemes in West Cumbria. The combined authority sets the county-wide priorities and checks progress. It has also approved interim transport priorities, which will guide spending until Cumbria's first Local Transport Plan is written after the county elects its first mayor in May 2027.

Councillor Mark Fryer, chair of Cumbria Combined Authority, said: "Devolution gives us more control over how transport funding is spent in Cumbria. We know the challenges people face here, and we should be making decisions locally about how to tackle them."

He added: "For people across Cumbria, the test will be better roads, more reliable journeys and easier access to work and services. That is what we need to deliver."

The announcement does not yet list individual West Cumbrian schemes.

What you can do: report potholes, broken lights and blocked drains to Cumberland Council online, so they are on the list. Look out for the mayoral election in May 2027, when transport will be one of the big jobs.