Following the good news about Lonsdale Buses’ new services in Morecambe, here is the bad news!
The company has announced that it plans to withdraw service 550 between Milnthorpe and Morecambe after operation on Tuesday, 11th November 2025. The once-weekly “market day” service has been linking a large area of North Lancashire and south Westmorland with Morecambe since 2020.
The company is running what it calls a “consultation process” over the next 28 days and invites passengers to share their views about the change via the company through its website (details on this link).
The service has always been a commercial operation and originally used a vehicle that on four days a week provided an Arnside to Kendal service. It is thought that the enhancement of the Kendal service to a six-days-a-week and its extension to Carnforth and other villages served by the 550 has reduced patronage and hence viability.
In Lancashire, the withdrawal means that the Crag Bank area of Carnforth will once again be without a bus service, although other places on the route will still have buses to Lancaster and – by connection – to Morecambe.
Lancashire County Council and Westmorland & Furness Council have been made aware of the proposed withdrawal and passengers affected by the change can contact them on the following links:
Lancashire County Council Bus Services Team: email to: busservices@lancashire.gov.uk
Westmorland & Furness Council Public Transport Team (Web contact form)
Otherwise passengers can contact their local county councillor (Lancashire) or District Councillor (Westmorland & Furness)
Lancaster Bus Users' Group 