About FELLRUNNER
We are very proud that the Fellrunner Village Bus has been making a positive difference to people’s lives for over 40 years.
In 2021 we were awarded The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service which recognises our 'outstanding achievement by a group of volunteers'.
The Fellrunner organisation has had several former guises in its history, starting as The Langwathby Minibus Scheme, then The Langwathby and District Minibus Committee, The Fellrunner Village Bus Committee and now the Fellrunner Village Bus Limited.
Fellrunner services were launched in November 1979 after two years of planning by the local community, Cumbria County Council and Voluntary Action Cumbria. The first bus was a 17-seater Ford Transit minibus leased from the County Council, but since 1996 the buses have been owned by the Fellrunner.
In the early days the bus ran through the East Fellside villages, providing a feeder service to connect with the Ribble services from Langwathby to Penrith and Carlisle. Since the withdrawal of all commercial services, the Fellrunner itself has provided scheduled services from the Fellside to both Penrith and Carlisle. These have been supplemented by private hire excursions.
In 1999 it was decided that it would be beneficial to have two buses in order to extend the scheduled service to other villages - in the Lyvennet Valley on Tuesday and to Calthwaite, Catterlen, and Blencow on Friday. In 2004 a third bus was purchased and an extra Wednesday route was added for Ainstable, Croglin and Renwick. Services have been further extended in recent years to assist in those areas where commercial services have withdrawn, for example, Skelton and Burnbanks.
In 2015 we were able to add a low floor accessible bus to the Fleet and now we have two – this means easy access for wheelchair users.
The Fellrunner is operated by The Fellrunner Village Bus Ltd. It is a company limited by guarantee, it has no shareholders and is registered as a charity. All members are volunteers – we have no paid staff at all. The Fellrunner runs on goodwill!
The Fellrunner Village Bus has six Trustees who take responsibility for the strategic direction and day to day operation of Fellrunner, supported by a number of volunteers - both drivers and non-drivers - who perform specific tasks. We welcome contact from anyone wanting to join us.
We currently have 3 buses. One 17 seater (driver plus 16 passengers), one 16 seater (15 passengers) and one low floor access bus which provides space for one wheelchair and 13 passengers. All are owned by Fellrunner and maintained to a high standard. They are of course fully insured, taxed, MOT’d and regularly safety inspected by Cumbria County Council Fleet Services.
The Fellrunner Bus operates scheduled timetable services from villages in East Cumbria to Penrith and Carlisle under a Section 22 Community Minibus Permit. Our buses run to a published timetable and fares are charged, although it is true to say that most of our passengers qualify for free travel under the NOW card (bus pass) scheme.
As part of our mission, local organisations and groups can hire a bus and driver. We call this “private hire”. We are careful not to step on the toes of commercial operators, however, and the Private Hire Co-ordinator or a Trustee will happily give guidance as to what is an appropriate private hire. Fellrunner also arranges its own community excursions.
All money collected in fares, either from passengers paying in cash or reclaimed from the County Council in respect of bus pass holders, is used exclusively for the operation and maintenance of the buses, with any excess going towards funding replacement vehicles. Fellrunner gratefully acknowledges support from Cumbria County Council, Westmorland and Furness Council, Penrith Town Council and numerous parish councils. Several local businesses make a significant contribution to the service, for example, Alan Hunter of Hope’s Garage in Langwathby provides a base and maintains the vehicles and also provides refuelling and cleaning facilities. As a charitable organisation, incorporated as a company, Fellrunner Village Bus is required to have its accounts independently examined each year. This service is now conducted by Dodds & Co, Clint Mill, Cornmarket, Penrith CA11 7HW.
We know Fellrunner is important to our passengers because they consistently tell us so - we think they must be amongst the most grateful passengers anywhere!
The Fellrunner organisation has had several former guises in its history, starting as The Langwathby Minibus Scheme, then The Langwathby and District Minibus Committee, The Fellrunner Village Bus Committee and now the Fellrunner Village Bus Limited.
Fellrunner services were launched in November 1979 after two years of planning by the local community, Cumbria County Council and Voluntary Action Cumbria. The first bus was a 17-seater Ford Transit minibus leased from the County Council, but since 1996 the buses have been owned by the Fellrunner.
In the early days the bus ran through the East Fellside villages, providing a feeder service to connect with the Ribble services from Langwathby to Penrith and Carlisle. Since the withdrawal of all commercial services, the Fellrunner itself has provided scheduled services from the Fellside to both Penrith and Carlisle. These have been supplemented by private hire excursions.
In 1999 it was decided that it would be beneficial to have two buses in order to extend the scheduled service to other villages - in the Lyvennet Valley on Tuesday and to Calthwaite, Catterlen, and Blencow on Friday. In 2004 a third bus was purchased and an extra Wednesday route was added for Ainstable, Croglin and Renwick. Services have been further extended in recent years to assist in those areas where commercial services have withdrawn, for example, Skelton and Burnbanks.
In 2015 we were able to add a low floor accessible bus to the Fleet and now we have two – this means easy access for wheelchair users.
The Fellrunner is operated by The Fellrunner Village Bus Ltd. It is a company limited by guarantee, it has no shareholders and is registered as a charity. All members are volunteers – we have no paid staff at all. The Fellrunner runs on goodwill!
The Fellrunner Village Bus has six Trustees who take responsibility for the strategic direction and day to day operation of Fellrunner, supported by a number of volunteers - both drivers and non-drivers - who perform specific tasks. We welcome contact from anyone wanting to join us.
We currently have 3 buses. One 17 seater (driver plus 16 passengers), one 16 seater (15 passengers) and one low floor access bus which provides space for one wheelchair and 13 passengers. All are owned by Fellrunner and maintained to a high standard. They are of course fully insured, taxed, MOT’d and regularly safety inspected by Cumbria County Council Fleet Services.
The Fellrunner Bus operates scheduled timetable services from villages in East Cumbria to Penrith and Carlisle under a Section 22 Community Minibus Permit. Our buses run to a published timetable and fares are charged, although it is true to say that most of our passengers qualify for free travel under the NOW card (bus pass) scheme.
As part of our mission, local organisations and groups can hire a bus and driver. We call this “private hire”. We are careful not to step on the toes of commercial operators, however, and the Private Hire Co-ordinator or a Trustee will happily give guidance as to what is an appropriate private hire. Fellrunner also arranges its own community excursions.
All money collected in fares, either from passengers paying in cash or reclaimed from the County Council in respect of bus pass holders, is used exclusively for the operation and maintenance of the buses, with any excess going towards funding replacement vehicles. Fellrunner gratefully acknowledges support from Cumbria County Council, Westmorland and Furness Council, Penrith Town Council and numerous parish councils. Several local businesses make a significant contribution to the service, for example, Alan Hunter of Hope’s Garage in Langwathby provides a base and maintains the vehicles and also provides refuelling and cleaning facilities. As a charitable organisation, incorporated as a company, Fellrunner Village Bus is required to have its accounts independently examined each year. This service is now conducted by Dodds & Co, Clint Mill, Cornmarket, Penrith CA11 7HW.
We know Fellrunner is important to our passengers because they consistently tell us so - we think they must be amongst the most grateful passengers anywhere!
