TRANSDEV has come under fire over changes to bus services in Blackburn and Pendle following cuts to subsidies it receives.

The operator has said without cash support the revisions cannot be avoided.

Andy Gray, a sales manager from Blackburn, has said he is angry that evening, Sunday and bank holiday services on the number four route between the town centre and Mill Hill and Leyburn Road have been axed.

Nelson residents are angry the number two service from Burnley to Higherford no longer detours to the town’s Morrisons in Pendle Street.

Mr Gray, 27 from Galligreaves Way, said: “I am angry and concerned at the reduction on the number four services for Mill Hill.

“Transdev’s Blackburn bus company has cut the service Monday to Saturday after 7pm while on Sundays and bank holidays there is no service at all.

“The company says it has cut the service due to funding being stopped by the council.

“If the council wants to make Blackburn busy again how can this happen if a third of the town does not have a service? It and Transdev need to look at this again.”

A Transdev spokesman said: “The borough council removed the subsidy for evening, Sunday and bank holiday services.

“We looked carefully and they are not viable without that contribution.”

The number two service ran to Higherford with a contribution from Booths after it developed a new store in Barrowford. That cash subsidy has now ceased.

The Transdev spokesman added: “The developer funding was removed. We listened to customers regarding punctuality.

“We decided to stop running into Morrisons in Nelson, the section of route used by the least amount of passenger, to improve timekeeping.”

Pendle Council leader Cllr Mohammed Iqbal, who is also a county councillor, said: “I am aware of the issues regarding the number two and Morrisons and will take them up with the appropriate authorities.”

Cllr Phil Riley, Blackburn with Darwen Council's highways boss, said: “We have very little money to subsidise buses.

“This is a commercial decision and we don’t believe it has enough passengers to justify spending council taxpayers’ cash.”