WORRIED residents have launched a campaign to save their buses following fears services could be axed.

But today bus company chiefs said nothing had been set in stone - although they said parked cars along Chapelhouse Road and Sackville Street, Nelson, were making it difficult for drivers to get along routes safely.

The number 10, 11 and 12A services are a vital link between Nelson and Burnley for many elderly people as well as young families, students and people travelling to Burnley General Hospital from Nelson.

But residential parking on narrow streets mean bus drivers are constantly risking traffic accidents as they try to squeeze buses between cars and around tight corners as well as blocking traffic while they navigate single file lanes.

Nelson Committee chairman Coun David Foster is rallying people to fight to save the buses. He said: "They are using the excuse the buses can't get along these routes - they are too big for today's traffic.

"If they are having trouble getting through with half-empty big buses then why not use smaller buses which would run full and be more economic to operate?

"The bus company say they are a real bus company and only use real buses. I thought real bus companies ran a service for real people so they could get from A to B on public transport.

"I say the people of Nelson deserve better and we want a proper service for all areas. I call upon the travelling public to stand up and fight for a better deal."

Burnley and Pendle Transport commercial director Duncan Allan said safety had to come first and while the company was worried it could lose business by redirecting the services through Hibson Road, it had to make sure drivers were not taking unnecessary risks.

Mr Allan said: "We have been discussing this for about a year but nothing has been decided.

"The roads are unsuitable for our particular vehicles and we have got rid of our minibuses, that's not the market we're in.

"Chapelhouse Road is particularly hard.

"There is residential parking on either side of the road so there is only one free lane in the middle and once our bus is going down there it's very difficult to pull in. We've had a number of accidents there.

We're putting our staff and customers in a dangerous situation."