Cumberland Council has launched a major upgrade to public transport across the area through its Cumberland Go improvement programme, including a new and enhanced 600 hospital route connecting Carlisle, Cumberland Infirmary, Wigton, Cockermouth, Whitehaven and West Cumberland Hospital, seven‑day‑a‑week.

The strengthened network, delivered between November 2025 and January 2026, is designed to make sustainable travel easier, cheaper and more reliable for residents, NHS staff and visitors. One early success of Cumberland Go is the enhanced 600 service, created in direct response to feedback from the NHS and wider partners about the need for better connectivity between Cumberland Infirmary and West Cumberland Hospital.

Cllr Denise Rollo, Executive Member for Sustainable, Resilient and Connected Places, said:

“Cumberland Go is all about delivering better public transport for our communities, and the new 600 hospital service is a perfect example of that in action.

“We know how important it is for NHS staff, patients and visitors to travel reliably between our two hospital sites. By improving connections and keeping fares affordable, we’re supporting the local workforce, improving access to vital healthcare, and giving residents a genuinely convenient, sustainable travel choice.”

Conversations between Cumberland Council, North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust (NCIC) and Avanti West Coast began in 2023 when local musicians Ukuleles Carlisle and Oompah 3 visited Cumberland Infirmary after fundraising for reusable surgical hats. The shared ambition to improve hospital connectivity helped accelerate the development of the new route under Cumberland Go.

(Picture: Cumberland Council)