Elderly and disabled people in Kendal have been told they will not see special "curb-loading" buses in the town in the immediate future.

Chairman of Kendal Liberal Democrats Barbara Studholme wrote to Stagecoach North West asking when buses in Kendal would be replaced with curb-loading vehicles - similar to those used in Lancaster.

The letter to Stagecoach read: "Many residents of Kendal are finding usage of the buses difficult.

These are people who are disabled or have limited mobility.

In addition people with young children and pushchairs also find access and storage of their pushchairs a problem."

In a letter of response, Stagecoach North West managing director Nigel Barrett said all new Stagecoach vehicles were fully compliant with needs of passengers with mobility difficulties.

But he added: "The replacement programme covers a number of years and I am afraid that Kendal is not in our plans for the immediate future."

Mr Barrett ruled out the possibility of using the specially adapted Lancaster-based buses on a limited number of Kendal services but said he would keep Mrs Studholme's comments in mind when the company next reviewed its replacement programme.