YOUNG people wanting to use a subsidised bus scheme in South Lakeland are going to see a price rise.

The annual membership of A2B Now will rise from £7.50 to £10, a meeting of South Lakeland Local Committee was told.

Karen Johnson,  the county council’s area manager, said the new rate had been proposed by councillors for 2020-21.

“The fees will remain the same but the charge for the card will rise to £10,” she said.

The county council-run scheme allows children aged five to 18 to benefit from discounted bus journeys outside of school time.

Cllr Mark Wilson, the Labour member for Ulverston East, said two members of the Cumbria Youth Parliament had been consulted.

Cllr Jim Bland, the Conservative member for the Lyth Valley, said the scheme was ‘great’ for those areas where there was public bus services but of ‘no use at all’ to those which did not.

Cllr Matt Brereton, who represents Coniston, Hawkshead, Kirkby Ireleth, Skelwith and Torver, said some areas suffered from very limited public transport. “Take-up of this scheme in my division is pretty low and we do need to do more if we are investing money into this to really increase take-up,” said Cllr Brereton, the Conservative member for High Furness.

Cllr Bill Wearing, who represents Grange for the Conservatives, said young people were ‘quite happy’ with the rise but more work was needed to promote the scheme.

Cllr Shirley Evans said promotional leaflets had been produced and distributed and a notice about the scheme was likely to go in parish magazines read by parents.

“Young people are very clear they really value this and the card increase was something they were very keen on,” said Cllr Evans, the Liberal Democrat member for Kendal Nether.

The scheme is open to any youngster aged five to 18 in South Lakeland.

It means they would pay a maximum of £1.80 for a single journey or £3 for a return. If the fare is normally less than this, passengers are charged at the normal rate.

The scheme can be used to travel to Barrow, Keswick, Penrith and Lancaster, providing the return journey started in South Lakeland.

For details of the scheme go to https://www.cumbria.gov.uk/a2bnow/