Word of mouth hope on late buses

The aim is to help people get home quickly after a night out

Organisers of a bus service set up to cut late-night disorder on Carlisle's streets say they hope word of mouth about it will spread.

Cumbria Police have worked with a local bus company to set up the weekend service, which started on 22 April.

The aim is to get people home as quickly as possible after a night out.

Sgt Richard Higgin, from Cumbria Police, said that despite a slow start numbers were picking up and there had been no disorder problems on the buses.

The service runs four times a night from the city centre to two routes to the east and west for a £2 fare.

Sgt Higgin said: "The first weekend was fairly quiet. A lot of the people who are going out are probably not aware the buses are in operation."

On the first night, about 25 people used the bus. That increased to 100 the following night and about 150 last Saturday.