A concerned bus user has spoken out against Stagecoach’s latest change, which has left many residents throughout the town stranded – and even opting for expensive taxis to avoid the dreaded buses.

A Ewanrigg woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, has shared her frustration on the changes made to the M1 bus route, which covers seven stops in Maryport.

Stagecoach conducted an overhaul of its services across west Cumbria last month, which saw some buses reduced in size – including the M1, formerly the 57 bus.

And after being left with a mini bus “that looks like something you’d see on a stag do” to cover the town, the furious resident is demanding an upgrade.

“The bus is an absolute nightmare,” she said.

“There are disabled people who use the bus, and I have to help them get on every time, because the step is so high – and I’m partially disabled myself.

“Even when I’ve got them on the bus, there’s nowhere for them to sit because it’s such a small space. They have walkers and there’s nowhere to store them.

“It’s shocking, and people dread using the bus because it’s such a nightmare.”

The M1 service covers Curzon Street, Senhouse Street, Meadow Way, Grasmere Terrace, Ellenfoot Drive, Victoria Cottage Hospital, before returning to Curzon Street Senhouse Street.

The bus user added that it’s not just those with disabilities who struggle, as parents with prams, larger people, and those who live further away from the first couple of stops have difficulty using the service.

“You see mums struggling to fit the pram on, because there’s only one priority space, and large people can’t sit comfortably on the bus because the seats are so tiny – they end up taking up two seats because they’re just that narrow,” she said.

“People who get on at the later stops have been left stood in the rain and wind, because it’s already as full as it can be with the Covid guidelines, and some people have even chosen to just pay for a taxi instead because the bus is such a pain.”

She added: “We need a bigger bus, and not one that looks like something you’d see on a stag do – people can’t be left stranded in the middle of winter.”

A Stagecoach representative said: "We are not aware of any capacity issues on our Maryport services and have not received any complaints of this nature.

"The vehicles used on the service are the most suitable to navigate around the narrow town streets along the route.

"Our 30 service offers an alternative, with a bus every 15 minutes on the majority of the route using a larger vehicle."

They added: "The best channel to raise any concerns is with us directly, as this will allow us to respond and resolve any issues quickly and effectively."