A new cross-border bus service is set to begin on 2 March 2026 that will run along the B6350. Service 34, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, will run twice a day in each direction between Kelso and Duns, via Carham, Wark and Coldstream. Service 34A, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, will run three times a day between Kelso and Wooler, via Carham, Wark, Coldstream, Cornhill, Branxton, Kilham and Kirknewton. Timetables and maps are below, in pdf format. This new service is the result of consultation with residents and has been made possible, after many months of work, by County Councillor Mark Mather, Northumberland County Council and Scottish Borders Council.
Category: services
Services that are delivered by other authorities in Carham parish.
Libraries Consultation 2026
Northumberland County Council has launched a consultation on how it will deliver the Northumberland Library Service in the future. Residents, community groups, businesses, members and non-members of Northumberland Libraries can give their views on the future of libraries, including opening hours and the mobile library service; using new technologies; how the service works with communities; and how it delivers events, activities and information. Details of the proposals, and the survey itself, are on this page. If you would like to ask questions in person, there is a drop in session at Wooler Library on Wednesday 11 March from 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm, and one at Berwick Library on Wednesday 18 March from 11 am to 1 pm. The closing date for the survey is 13 April 2026.
Proposed Bus Service
County Councillor Mark Mather has been working with bus service providers on both sides of the border to establish a new bus route that will serve Carham and Wark. Following feedback from residents, changes have been made to the timetable originally circulated in August. It has not been possible to make all the changes suggested by residents as the bus has limited availability around school times, when it is needed for the school service. Councillor Mather is happy to receive comments on the revised timetable. Please email him using this link. It is expected that the new service will begin in early 2026. Bus passes will be valid on both sides of the border.
GP Services
Wooler Health, the GP practice in the Cheviot Primary Care Centre in Wooler, is considering increasing its boundary to the north to include Wark and Carham. This is part of a wider proposal to change the practice boundary, which it says is needed because of the growth of the local population and difficulties in serving some areas. It says: “We propose to increase the boundary to the north to include Wark and Carham as these are both south of the River Tweed and therefore on the English border so people living there should have the opportunity to register with us as we already cover the neighbouring Cornhill.” You can comment on the proposed boundary changes by completing a short online survey. For more information, email Wooler Health or phone 01668 263 852.
Free Trees
Northumberland County Council’s free tree scheme is back again. The Council is inviting residents to apply for a Crab Apple or Holly sapling (for small gardens); Rowan or Silver Birch (for medium gardens); English Oak or Wild Cherry (for large gardens); and, for those with limited space, Box or Wild Privet. The trees are small cell-grown plants, UK-sourced, and come with a shelter guard and cane. Detailed planting and after-care instructions will be emailed out after collection.
Once you have ordered, you will receive confirmation and details of your collection point prior to the pick-up date of Friday 28 or Saturday 29 November. Collection points include Wooler and Berwick.
Packs of trees are also available to businesses, schools, community groups, and town and parish councils across the county. The free tree scheme is part of Northumberland County Council’s bid to help protect and enhance the natural environment.
Polling District and Polling Place Review
Northumberland County Council is carrying out a Polling District and Polling Place Review. Its goals are to ensure that all electors have reasonable facilities for voting; to make polling places as accessible as possible for everyone; and to ensure that polling places are located, where possible, in the polling district they serve. All residents of Northumberland are invited to provide feedback on the polling stations they vote at or on any of the polling districts across the county. Comments and representations can be sent by post to the Elections Office, County Hall, Morpeth, Northumberland NE61 2EF or by email or by following the link on the Polling District and Polling Place Review page to complete the online feedback form. The consultation closes on 9 October 2025. The outcome of the review will be published in November 2025 and will be available for inspection on the Council’s website and at County Hall. Anybody making representations should be aware that, upon completion of the review, all correspondence and representations received must, by law, also be published. For more information, email the Elections Office or call on 0191 624 811.
Proposed Bus Service for Carham Parish
County Councillor Mark Mather has been working with Northumberland County Council and Scottish Borders Council on changes to the bus services in the north rural areas. For Carham parish, this would mean a bus service along the B6350, calling at Carham and Wark and connecting with nearby communities. Councillor Mather is asking for comments on the proposed timetable. Please have a look at it and send your comments to the Parish Clerk, who will forward them to him.
If this new service is to go ahead, it will need the support of residents, so do forward this message to anyone you know who lives in the area and encourage them to respond with their comments, too.
Mobile Phone Coverage
Northumberland County Council is working with mobile phone network providers to make sure that all areas of Northumberland have good mobile coverage. Please tell NCC what coverage is like where you live by completing its questionnaire. The questionnaire is open until 30 April 2025.
Parish Council Meeting
The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on Monday 10 March 2025 at 6.30 pm in St Cuthbert’s Church, Carham. Please note the change of day from Tuesday to Monday.
You can find the agenda and minutes of previous meetings on our Meetings page. All parishioners are welcome to attend the meeting.
- Before the Parish Council meeting our local County Councillor, Mark Mather, is holding a councillor surgery for the residents of Carham parish. He will be available to answer and discuss any parishioners’ questions, on a one-to-one basis. If you have a question for him, come along to the church at any time between 5 pm and 6 pm.
Question Time
Our local (Wooler Ward) County Councillor, Mark Mather, is holding a councillor surgery for the residents of Carham parish. This will be on Monday 10 March from 5 pm to 6 pm in St Cuthbert’s Church, Carham. Mark will be available to answer and discuss any parishioners’ questions, on a one-to-one basis. If you have a question for him, come along to the church at any time between 5 pm and 6 pm.
Carham Community Website 