Voices from Cumbrian communities
11th May 2026
The information below has been drawn from the Rural Services Survey we carried out last year. This is a brief summary which we will be using to talk to people on the streets in Cumbrian communities during May and June. We will then launch a full briefing for Mayoral candidates, including ideas from communities on how to address these issues.
Across Cumbria, rural communities have been making their voices heard about the problems they face and the action they need. Their testimony has highlighted issues that should be core concerns for the elected officials and civil servants at every level – and most of all for Cumbria’s new Mayor.
Between November 2024 and January 2025, ACT surveyed members of its network, a group which includes many of the most socially engaged residents and community leaders across rural Cumbria. The respondents were not intended to represent overall public opinion, but to be a sample of those on the frontlines of rural life – people active in parish councils, village halls, community organisations, and local democracy. They know what works, what doesn’t, and what their communities need to thrive.
We asked these communities about three defining challenges: transport, housing, and poverty.
Transport
A system often failing the basic test of accessibility, useability and affordability – with transport deserts, infrequent services, timetables that don’t serve the needs of workers or students, and a lack of integration between different modes and services. Subsidised fares have helped but even at £3 they are a barrier to some, while community-run services are seen very positively but are limited.
Housing
The basic challenge of affordability and availability is damaging rural communities, forcing out local families and compounding economic pressures on businesses and individuals. Many respondents were deeply frustrated at the failure to enforce affordable housing requirements on developers, and at the lack of controls on second homes, AirBnBs and holiday lets.
Poverty
Hidden poverty was seen as a real concern, even in well-off areas. Farmers and pensioners were seen as especially vulnerable. Low wages and irregular work in agriculture and hospitality were cited as an issue, but alongside wider cost of living pressures, particularly around transport, housing and fuel costs. Lack of access to services and support in rural areas was also a serious concern.
These are not isolated problems: they are deeply interconnected. Poor transport drives isolation, creates barriers to work and healthcare, and makes poverty worse. Unaffordable housing damages communities, divides families, and drives out young workers. Fuel deprivation hides, even in the most prosperous of areas. All undermine the social and economic fabric of rural communities. Our respondents reported a sense of disempowerment that government at all levels that has failed to really listen, or to respond with the effectiveness and imagination needed.
The new Mayoral and Combined Authority has a huge opportunity to make meaningful change. Rural communities are ready to work in partnership – but they need action, not just consultation. They need their voices heard.
Does this resonate with you? Please share your thoughts or comments with us by using the contact details below:
Telephone: 01768 425666, email: info@cumbriaaction.org.uk You can also link with us on social media Facebook BlueSky
We will publish the full briefing at the end of June 2026.
This summary was written with support from Stephen Carter, Policy and Political Researcher.