Corporate Housing in Cumbria

Learn about the top employers in Cumbria and their contributions to the local economy. This section highlights key businesses and organisations that play a significant role in the community and shape the city's vibrant economic landscape.

Sellafield Ltd
The company that manages the Sellafield nuclear site on the Cumbrian coast, responsible for operations, clean-up and decommissioning of legacy nuclear facilities under the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s remit. It supports a large, specialist workforce and a broad local supply chain in West Cumbria.

BAE Systems Submarines (Barrow-in-Furness)
The submarine design and shipbuilding division of BAE Systems based at the Barrow shipyard. It builds and maintains submarines for the UK Royal Navy (including Astute and Dreadnought programmes) and is one of the area’s largest industrial employers.

NHS (Cumbria health trusts — e.g., North Cumbria Integrated Care and University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay)
Collectively the NHS organisations serving Cumbria run hospitals, community health and social care services across the county. These trusts employ thousands of clinical, administrative and support staff and are major public-sector employers locally.

Local government (Cumberland Council and Westmorland & Furness Council, formerly Cumbria County Council)
The county’s principal local authorities provide education, social care, highways, waste and other public services. Together these councils and their predecessor organisations have been among the biggest local employers across Cumbria.

Lakeland (Lakeland Limited)
A Windermere-headquartered retailer specialising in kitchenware, cookware and homeware. Lakeland operates a national chain of stores and an online business while maintaining significant HQ, distribution and store-based employment in Cumbria.

Note: exact rankings and employer sizes can vary by source and year; if you’d like I can provide employee numbers and citations from recent reports or government data.

Explore the diverse transport options available in Cumbria, from efficient public transportation systems to convenient road networks. Whether you're commuting to work or exploring the city, this section will give you an overall look at the available transportation systems.

Public Transit System
- Rail services - A mix of intercity and regional rail serving Cumbria: Avanti West Coast on the West Coast Main Line (key stops at Carlisle and Oxenholme) provides long-distance links to Glasgow, Manchester and London; Northern operates the county’s local routes including the Cumbrian Coast Line (Carlisle–Barrow-in-Furness), the Furness Line (Barrow–Lancaster/Preston), the Settle–Carlisle scenic route and frequent local services serving Penrith, Kendal and other towns.
- Bus services - Commercial interurban and local bus networks operated mainly by companies such as Stagecoach and several smaller local operators, connecting Carlisle, Barrow, Kendal, Penrith, Workington, Whitehaven and rural villages; frequent town services and longer coach-style services to neighbouring cities (e.g., Manchester, Lancaster).
- Community and demand-responsive transport - Volunteer car schemes, community minibuses and local dial-a-ride services run by parish councils and charities to serve rural areas and vulnerable residents where commercial services are sparse.
- Ferry and lake services - Tourist and local passenger services on the Lake District’s waterways (notably Windermere Lake Cruises and Ullswater Steamers) plus small local ferry/boat services on estuaries and lakes; no regular large-distance car ferry terminals within Cumbria itself.
- Taxis and private hire - Local taxi firms and private-hire operators provide on-demand travel; app-based ride-hailing penetration is limited in more rural parts of the county.
- Rail–bus integration and ticketing - Many rail stations offer connecting local bus services and integrated multi-operator tickets (e.g., PlusBus options at certain stations) to help with onward travel from rail hubs.

Major Highways
- M6 - The county’s primary north–south motorway corridor running through eastern Cumbria, linking to Lancaster, Manchester and the Scottish border via the A74(M)/M74 at Carlisle.
- A66 - Major east–west trans-Pennine route across Cumbria connecting the M6 (Penrith area) to the A1(M) corridor further east; key for freight and cross-country travel.
- A69 - Main route from Carlisle eastwards to Newcastle (via Hexham), providing an alternative trans-Pennine link to northern England.
- A6 - Historic north–south trunk road running through Kendal, Penrith and into Carlisle, still important for local connectivity and as a scenic alternative to the M6.
- A590 - Principal road connecting Barrow-in-Furness and Furness Peninsula to the M6, important for commuter and freight movements to/from Barrow.
- A595 - Coastal route serving west Cumbria, linking Workington, Whitehaven and other coastal towns to the M6/A66 corridors.
- A596 / A597 - Key local arteries in West Cumbria linking coastal towns to Carlisle and the wider network.
- A591 - Main tourist and commuter route through the central Lake District between Kendal and Keswick, heavily used by local traffic and visitors.

Cycling Infrastructure
- Cycle lanes and routes - A mix of on‑road cycle lanes in towns (e.g., Kendal and Carlisle), traffic‑free multi‑use paths around lakes and along some former rail corridors, and designated regional/national routes such as Hadrian’s Cycleway (National Cycle Network Route 72); local authorities have also been developing Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) and using Active Travel funding to improve links for commuting and leisure, though provision is uneven and rural sections remain challenging.

Recent and Upcoming Improvements
- A66 upgrade plans - Ongoing/planned major improvements and safety upgrades for sections of the A66 (part of the Northern Trans-Pennine corridor) aimed at improving capacity and journey times for cross‑county and cross‑region traffic.
- Rail service & station investments - Recent timetable and rolling‑stock improvements across the network, plus targeted station accessibility and facility upgrades at key hubs (Carlisle, Oxenholme, Penrith and others) to improve passenger experience and connections.
- Active travel and cycling projects - Investment via national Active Travel funds, LCWIPs and local capital programmes to expand segregated cycle lanes, improve crossings and create better town-centre links in places like Kendal, Carlisle and Barrow, helping short‑distance commuting.
- Bus network support and community transport funding - Local and central government funding packages and recovery support have led to service stabilisation, some route restorations and strengthened community transport provision in rural areas.
- Port, freight and industrial connectivity upgrades - Targeted improvements at Barrow, Workington and other ports to support freight handling and local industry (including defence and energy sectors), which also aim to reduce heavy goods vehicle pressures on local roads.
- Strategic transport planning under new unitary authorities - The county’s reorganisation into new unitary councils has brought refreshed transport strategies and coordinated investment plans focused on road maintenance, sustainable travel and connectivity improvements across Cumbria.