Accrington buses saved after council steps in

Saturday, 7 September 2024 09:02

By Bill Jacobs - LDRS

FIVE bus services around the Accrington area will be saved and improved following a decision by Lancashire County Council to finance them.

Pilkington Bus recently advised the authority that they had reviewed some of their commercial services due to significant increases to costs and lower passenger numbers, concluding they would not be able to sustain a number of local routes.

Around 450 trips per day are taken on these local routes amounting to 115,000 passenger trips annually.

The affected services are: Service 1 – Clayton-le-Moors-Accrington-Oswaldtwistle; Service 2 – Dill Hall Circular; Service 4/4B – Oswaldtwistle Merlin Drive Circular; Service 5/8 – Dill Hall/Church/Spring Hill Circular; Service 9 – Barnfield Circular; and Service 11 – Fern Gore Circular.

While the main routes in and around Accrington, Clayton-le-Moors and Oswaldtwistle would still be served by a regular local bus service if these services were to end, more localised areas would lose access to some local bus services.

Failing to provide these would also impact bus users travelling across the whole Hyndburn borough.

Lancashire County Council has stepped in to fund these services temporarily.

After a period of consultation, the routes and timetables will be revised to increase service levels by filling in current gaps in the timetable and provide a Saturday service to make the bus network more attractive to potential users.

Cllr Rupert Swarbrick, Lancashire County Council’s transport boss, said: “It is crucial that the bus network continues to provide all residents, no matter where they live, with connections to their friends and family, allow them to reach essential services, and access opportunities for employment.

“Supporting public transport means less congestion on the roads. Encouraging more car users to swap to the bus is better for the environment and has health and wellbeing benefits too.

“We will consult with users and stakeholders as to the best steps forward.”