SENIOR Tory Alan Cottam revealed his first bus trip in 50 years convinced him he was right to demand a rethink on council plans to halve the number of highway inspections.

He spoke out at a rarely-used committee to claim checking hundreds of Blackburn with Darwen roads yearly rather than every six-months would be ‘dangerous’.

Mr Cottam, Conservative group highways spokesman, said: “The last time I caught a bus was in 1960 – until last week. I got the service from Great Harwood to Pleasington, where I live.

“The moment the bus crossed the Blackburn with Darwen border, it was the most bone-shaking rattling ride I have ever experienced.”

After the special call-in meeting, Coun Cottam, who takes over as Mayor next year, said: “I had already called the meeting to discuss this change, but I decided to catch the bus after I took my BMW to the garage in Great Harwood.

“As soon as we left Lancashire county roads for Blackburn with Darwen’s, the ride was appalling.

“This confirmed my view that reducing the frequency of inspections is a mistake.”

The shift from six-monthly to yearly inspections was proposed by the borough’s leadership as part of a £17.5m scheme to tackle potholes.

Coun Cottam told the committee that lack of proper maintenance since Labour took control in 2010 had left road surfaces in a ‘disgraceful state’.

He said reducing the inspection regime would lead to a greater risk of accidents and damage to vehicles and demanded that borough highways boss Maureen Bateson reconsider it.

But Coun Bateson said the change to planned repairs from reactive maintenance which would create better roads with fewer potholes.

After the ‘call-in’ committee voted to confirm the decision, borough deputy leader Andy Kay said: “Next year, Alan can be assured of a better ride in the official Mayoral car.”