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Public transport blackout in East Lancs on Boxing Day (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Public transport blackout in East Lancs on Boxing Day
8:20pm Tuesday 22nd December 2009
NO buses or trains will run on Boxing Day in East Lancashire, it has been revealed.
Bus services across the area will also be out of action on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
The move has sparked criticism from campaigners who said that Transdev Lancashire United would 'leave people stranded'.
And people hoping to go to the first day of the post-Christmas sales or to football matches on public transport will have to find alternative means.
The firm runs services including Spot On, Transdev Burnley and Pendle, Lancashire United, The Witch Way and Lancashire Way in East Lancashire.
Elsewhere local and national train services are not running on Boxing Day either.
Northern Rail, Virgin Trains and Cross Country Services are all postponed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Coun Maureen Bateson, who has campaigned for better bus services in Blackburn, said: “This is extremely disappointing news.
"It is important that people can get to the hospital or to see family and friends.
“But Boxing Day is also about getting out and about.
“This year we have had price rises and route cuts and this shows yet again that bus users are treated like second class citizens.”
Coun Julie Cooper said the news was a blow for the people of Burnley.
She said: “We are trying to encourage people to use public transport and I am shocked there will be no service on Boxing Day.
“I would have thought there would have been plenty of demand for public transport, especially with the football and the sales.”
Nigel Eggleton from Transdev Lancashire United said there had been no services on Boxing Day for three years since council support for the services ended.
He said: “In the end the decision was taken that with so few people using the services on Boxing Day it was not the best use of public money.”
"Over the last decade the number of people using the buses on Boxing Day has steadily declined to a point where so few were travelling that the services weren’t viable.”
On Christmas Eve there is a normal Thursday service, which finishes earlier at around 8pm.
Services also finish on New Year's Eve ay 8pm before normal service resumes on Saturday, January 2.
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Your Say YourTelegraph
petew27, Blackburn says...
8:41pm Tue 22 Dec 09
Scooby, Blackburn says...
8:54pm Tue 22 Dec 09
LowerDarwenResident wrote:Well, yeh, they're a business.. not a charity.. not a council service.
"Nigel Eggleton from Transdev Lancashire United said there had been no services on Boxing Day for three years since council support for the services ended.
He said: “In the end the decision was taken that with so few people using the services on Boxing Day it was not the best use of public money.” "
It just goes to prove that Transdev are out to make money and NOT provide a community service.
So we can only use public transport when it suits? Where are my car keys?
The council sold the bus service off because it wasn't making money, don't act so surprised that a business actually wants it now to be profitable
LowerDarwenResident, Lower Darwen, Darwen says...
9:29pm Tue 22 Dec 09
I agree, a business should make money.
My point is that if the government want us to use more public transport, then they should ensure that a reliable infrastructure is in place first.
How much are they spending on bus lanes that won't be used on Boxing day?
CapitaBackHander, Darren says...
9:47pm Tue 22 Dec 09
LowerDarwenResident wrote:Obviously as they are a business! ANY business is out to make money OR they would be out of business!
"Nigel Eggleton from Transdev Lancashire United said there had been no services on Boxing Day for three years since council support for the services ended. He said: “In the end the decision was taken that with so few people using the services on Boxing Day it was not the best use of public money.” " It just goes to prove that Transdev are out to make money and NOT provide a community service. So we can only use public transport when it suits? Where are my car keys?
Simple. Public Transport has to be owned by the government or there never will be a working network - but then our council couldn't run the bus company so sold it and have moaned since.
CapitaBackHander, Darren says...
9:49pm Tue 22 Dec 09
Scooby wrote:Exactly... should have your comment first.
LowerDarwenResident wrote: "Nigel Eggleton from Transdev Lancashire United said there had been no services on Boxing Day for three years since council support for the services ended. He said: “In the end the decision was taken that with so few people using the services on Boxing Day it was not the best use of public money.” " It just goes to prove that Transdev are out to make money and NOT provide a community service. So we can only use public transport when it suits? Where are my car keys?Well, yeh, they're a business.. not a charity.. not a council service. The council sold the bus service off because it wasn't making money, don't act so surprised that a business actually wants it now to be profitable
Lifeinthemix, Accrington says...
11:09pm Tue 22 Dec 09
Better get used to this because the so called taxi wars in Hyndburn, which are nothing of the sort....will close many bus routes, this of course is one of the aims of the conty council by choosing which companies get the contracts in return for playing ball with their total data collection of all your taxi journeys...
.
Full Story :
.
In Profile : MAX Taxis :
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http://www.lifeinthe
mixtalk.com/?p=6595
Stone Island, Blackburn says...
12:20am Wed 23 Dec 09
Lifeinthemix wrote:MAX Taxis my @rse
Hi All. Better get used to this because the so called taxi wars in Hyndburn, which are nothing of the sort....will close many bus routes, this of course is one of the aims of the conty council by choosing which companies get the contracts in return for playing ball with their total data collection of all your taxi journeys... . Full Story : . In Profile : MAX Taxis : . http://www.lifeinthe mixtalk.com/?p=6595
Wikidi, Accrington says...
12:24am Wed 23 Dec 09
Wikidi, Accrington says...
12:28am Wed 23 Dec 09
Lifeinthemix, Accrington says...
12:47am Wed 23 Dec 09
forestwood, leigh says...
1:58am Wed 23 Dec 09
forestwood, leigh says...
2:05am Wed 23 Dec 09
claytoner, Clayton says...
7:50am Wed 23 Dec 09
Why does everyone knock Transdev? What about Stagecoach, Rossendale, M & M to name a few?
GP, Darwen says...
9:35am Wed 23 Dec 09
And as for Bus Drivers "deserving boxing day off like everyone else" - What about the Police, Ambulence Service, Fire Brigade, Nurses, any number of retail staff. If Bus Drivers were so keen on having the day off they should go into an industry where that is standard.
However, very little is said in the article about the Trains - there is no excuse *at all* for the trains not running on Boxing day. I've never been so glad to have my driving licence.
pull some strings, ROSSENDALE says...
9:49am Wed 23 Dec 09
After all they are the only Council owned bus company in East Lancs.
Wouldn't surprise me if they aren't.
If Rossendale actually had a rail link at least we could use that.
Inter-Rossiter, East Lancs says...
11:34am Wed 23 Dec 09
.
This govt has spent the last 12 years taxing us out of our car. Yet in reality, public transport in this country is still in the Dark Ages.
Mike Costa, Blackburn says...
12:16pm Wed 23 Dec 09
GP wrote:Mike Costa says:
I think this is disgusting. Not just because of the impact on those people who do not access to a car to get out and see people, but also for the impact on businesses in Blackburn with Darwen. The sales start on Boxing day and as it's a Saturday this year the stores could normally expect alot of footfall. I also feel for all those football supporters who will miss out on seeing their teams play. And as for Bus Drivers "deserving boxing day off like everyone else" - What about the Police, Ambulence Service, Fire Brigade, Nurses, any number of retail staff. If Bus Drivers were so keen on having the day off they should go into an industry where that is standard. However, very little is said in the article about the Trains - there is no excuse *at all* for the trains not running on Boxing day. I've never been so glad to have my driving licence.
Its 3 days in a year. get over it. Talk to your neighbours, get a lift from them.
You have to be brain dead to fight your way through the Boxing Day clamour anyway.
Why shouldn't non life threatening services such as buses be allowed a day off?
Wikidi, Accrington says...
1:46pm Wed 23 Dec 09
That is incorrect, firstly try this taxi and visit the base to enquire yourself because I am aware it’s an independent business that has nothing to do with Max and central taxis. These particular bases themselves are trying to close major businesses such as the likes of CB taxis before it wasn’t owned by them but once Max starting charging a fare that was not viable but was good for the illegal immigrants that it employs, some bases could not cope with this. This problem occurred for bash taxis and diamond taxis too that’s why they closed and Max taxis took them over and precisely runs them at a fare beyond belief, cheaper than the bus.
Don’t get me wrong we the customers want something to be cheap but I bet when all the taxis bases close and Max is left then we the customers will notice the pinch!
cyberpaul, Blackburn says...
9:13pm Wed 23 Dec 09
Transdev is a BUSINESS. They exist to MAKE money, unlike Blackburn Council who exist only to SPEND money - our money - on huge salaries for their otherwise unemployable bosses.
And don't forget the bus drivers and other staff - aren't they entitled to a couple of days off with their families? Or are they supposed to miss out on the season of goodwill just so everyone can go the sales and buy even more crap they don't need ? I say give the bus company staff a week off with pay at Christmas. I'll use my car - if you haven't got one - tough. The shops will still be full of rubbish next week.
richard a, Burnley says...
10:23pm Wed 23 Dec 09
Noiticer, Blackburn says...
2:56pm Fri 25 Dec 09
What has happened to our own country? The rot set in with Margaret Thatcher and her verrsion of free market capitalism and has continued ever since and look where it has got us. And if the Tories form the next government there will be even more. Happy New Year UK!
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LowerDarwenResident, Lower Darwen, Darwen says...
8:36pm Tue 22 Dec 09
He said: “In the end the decision was taken that with so few people using the services on Boxing Day it was not the best use of public money.” "
It just goes to prove that Transdev are out to make money and NOT provide a community service.
So we can only use public transport when it suits? Where are my car keys?