The first of a summer of shuttle buses linking Appleby Railway Station and the town centre is operating this Saturday (May 25).
The shuttle bus service will be trialled over the summer, meeting specific trains to transport visitors down the steep hill into the main retail area and riverside walks, and providing a return journey back up the hill to catch their train home.
The Settle Carlisle Railway Development Company is providing the free shuttle service, working with Appleby’s Tourism Information Centre, businesses and the local Rotary Club who will be manning to minibus which is free for visitors to use.
Appleby TIC Manager, Nicola Elliot said:
We are always keen to find new ways of helping people come to Appleby. If they come by train they can enjoy the shops, our riverside walks and have lunch, before being driven back to the station to take the scenic railway home.
Appleby Rotary Club Treasurer, Alan McViety said:
The Rotarians were very keen to support this project, to help encourage people to visit Appleby by train.
We have run similar shuttle services before when steam trains have visited the town. For those with mobility issues, the hill into the town can be a challenge and the shuttle bus was a welcome service.
Chair of Settle Carlisle Railway Development Company, Pete Myers said:
One of our key roles is to help businesses and communities along our line. Promoting what Appleby has to offer and providing a link into the centre of the town is a great way of supporting local people and developing the economic benefits to the community.
We are very grateful to Appleby Rotary for agreeing to provide the run the service.
You can rest assured that we at the Settle Carlisle Railway Development Company will do all that we can to promote the service, so that we can all benefit from this groundbreaking endeavour.
The trial period will run on the last Saturday of the month from May until August linking to train arriving from both Leeds and Carlisle picking up from Appleby Railway Station at 10.20am, 11.50am and 1pm and from the town centre from 2pm, 3.pm and 5pm.
