THE final axe has a fallen on Blackburn with Darwen council’s fleet of community transport buses for the disabled and elderly due to cease service on March 31.

The weekend decision by borough regeneration boss Maureen Bateson has angered users and opposition politicians.

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In September, the council proposed to save £600,000 over three years by scrapping the service, which helps 3,000 people, as its seeks to cut £31million from its budget.

It will now cease on March 31.

During a three month consultation, individual users flooded the town hall with pleas to save the service which employs four drivers and last ditch 19 signature protest petition was presented to the borough’s executive board three weeks ago.

Protestors offered to pay at least £2 a trip, instead of the current £1, to keep the minibus fleet operating..

Coun Bateson said: “I am not happy to have had to take this decision but I had no choice.

“We are faced with huge government cuts and some services we would like to keep have to go.

“It was costing us £200,000 a year and to make it break even would make it cost £7 a trip.

“We have consulted with existing alternative providers Dial-a-Ride, and Travel Assist, bus operators and taxi firms to see how we can mitigate the effect, possibly by widening the use of the NOW card for elderly and disabled passengers.”

Campaigner Patsy Corcoran, a 58-year-old from Roe Lee who suffers from cerebral palsy and was a member of the service’s steering group said: “I am sickened by this decision.

“It will leave many elderly and disabled people stuck in their homes. It is just wrong.”

Blackburn with Darwen Older People’s Forum chairman Brian Todd said: “This is unfortunate.

“I am sad they could not find a solution.”

Council Tory group leader Mike Lee said: “I don’t think this is right.

“I cannot understand why the council cannot offer the service for less than £7 a trip but other providers can manage it for £3.”

Liberal Democrat leader David Foster said: “This is very disappointing. Many elderly and disabled people will suffer.”

Bosses of of Dial-a-Ride ,which runs a fleet of eight minibuses at costing £3 a trip, have promised the not-for-profit social enterprise will do all it can to plug the gap.

Blackburn MP Jack Straw said: “It is unfortunate but the council is trying to save front-line services in the face of severe government cuts.”

  • The move does not affect the Welfare Transport service for clients of borough day centres which be face a separate value and efficiency review later this year.