AN eco-friendly car hire scheme has been launched at Oxenholme railway station for visitors travelling up into the Lakes.

The scheme will enable train passengers to arrive on the border of the Lake District National Park by rail, before transferring to a low-carbon Volkswagen Up, which will enable them to continue to their specific destination.

The four-seater car, available on a ‘pay as you drive’ plan, has been introduced thanks to a partnership between the GoLakes Travel Programme, Virgin Trains and Co-Wheels.

“Travelling to the Lake District by train is a great way to get here but often visitors feel that they need a car to get around once they have arrived,” said Claire Maclaine, manager for the GoLakes travel programme.

“The pay-as-you-drive car at Oxenholme gives them the choice of using a low-carbon car for their onward journeys and is an important addition to the CoWheels fleet.”

The vehicle is available to rent for slots of one hour, up to several days at a time, and is the latest addition to a small fleet of electric and low-carbon cars which took to the roads of the Lake District earlier this summer.

It is part of GoLakes Travel’s plans to bring together more eco-friendly modes of transport to the area.

Visitors can hire it by signing up with Co-Wheels just a few days before their visit.

Michael Byrne, station manager at Oxenholme for Virgin Trains, said: “Virgin Trains has a big role to play in supporting tourism growth in the Lake District by providing green, sustainable transport links.

“Thanks to this fantastic partnership our passengers can now get into the heart of the Lakes quickly and conveniently from as far as Scotland and London, knowing that there is a hassle-free connection that will get them all the way to their hotel or B&B door.”

For more information visit www.co-wheels.org.uk/go-lakes-travel