FRESH calls are being made for more investment on the Cumbrian length of Hadrian’s Wall to improve access to the world-renowned destination.

Wall Together wants councils and tourism organisations to show more enthusiasm and to invest in the Roman landmark, which is marking its 30th year as a World Heritage Site.

Malcolm Redman, chairman of the group, which promotes the historic attraction, claims there’s a lot of support from Northumberland County Council but little from Cumbrian authorities and organisations.

“They do not seem to consider the World Heritage site in the north east and the north west of Cumbria of any major interest at this moment in time,” he said.

The AD122 bus, serving Hadrian’s Wall between Hexham and Greenhead, has recently seen the number of passengers rise.

Wall Together thinks that could make a case for an extension of the route to Brampton.

The commercial service once brought passengers to Carlisle but the route in Cumbria was lost when the Government scrapped bus subsidies in 2014 and the county council could no longer support the operator.

Mr Redman said better accessibility would be beneficial for hospitality providers.

He said the removal of the AD122 between Greenhead and Carlisle had left visitors at a loss.

On the Northumberland side of the wall, Mr Redman said the council had ensured transport operator Go North East could continue to serve the World Heritage Site.

The bus currently runs from Hexham, stopping at Chesters Roman Fort, Housesteads Roman Fort, Vindolanda and the Roman Army Museum at Milecastle Inn, before reaching Greenhead.

Stephen King, head of commercial and retail at Go North East, said during the first 10 days of the new season, which launched on April 14, the AD122 saw an increase of 49 per cent in passenger numbers compared with the same period in 2016.

He said: “The service is popular with tourists and local people alike, providing accessible transport to Hadrian’s Wall and its tourist attractions.

“While the service currently only operates within Northumberland and is a partnership between Go North East and Northumberland County Council, we’ve had feedback from Cumbrian people and businesses, who feel a westerly extension to this service would be beneficial.”

Defending its position, a spokesman for Cumbria County Council said: “This is a commercially-run bus service.

“If there is increased passenger demand it is the operator’s decision whether or not to increase the number or frequency of buses to meet that demand.

“The county council has no role in this decision.”

But Victoria Farley, owner of Lanercost Tea Room and member of More Than The Lakes – whch promotes north Cumbria as a tourism destination – thinks it shouldn’t be a “one size fits all approach”.

She said the authority should “understand how the wall is an economic driver for local tourism”.

“They disguise their lack of interest by blaming funding cuts instead of thinking of what extra revenue could be generated from getting visitors to come in the first place and then stay longer,” she added.

This week also marks the start of a £1.2m re-development of the Birdoswald Roman Fort to enhance visitors’ experience.

Mr Redman, who runs Bush Nook B&B in Gilsland, thinks that now more than ever is the time to see investment in public transport.

He said more transport would open up “the whole western section of English Heritage sites to much more use by people”.

“I think all round it is about the will to make it happen,” he added.

John Scott, World Heritage Site co-ordinator, said that travelling east towards the main section from Carlisle, Birdoswald was the first international point of contact with Hadrian’s Wall – and was a visitor point that is beneficial to Cumbria.

The site boasts the longest continuous stretch of the wall and attracts nearly 40,000 visitors per year.

But Mrs Farley thinks the investment by English Heritage in the site has been “completely disregarded” by the county council.

Cumbria Tourism said it considers Hadrian’s Wall to be one of the most important tourism products in the county.

Sue Clarke, sales and marketing manager, said the organisation works closely with VisitEngland, VisitBritain and partners in the north east as well as businesses throughout the north of the county to ensure the area is marketed to domestic and international markets.

“With the 30th birthday of Hadrian’s Wall’s World Heritage Status and the Hadrian’s Cavalry events, it’s an exciting year and we are pushing ahead to promote this fantastic asset far and wide,” she said.