A PASSENGER war has begun after a bus firm expanded its fleet ready to take on Blackburn Transport and undercut its fares.

Catch-me-bus.com, which was founded with one bus and one route in April this year, has bought 12 more vehicles and will today begin operating 'carbon copies' of five of its rivals' established services.

The firm, based in Blackburn, will the run buses from Monday to Friday, five minutes ahead of Blackburn Transport's timetabled services.

The move has prompted Blackburn Transport to announce a review of its own fares and accuse the new firm of trying to poach its passengers.

Catch-me-bus.com revealed all return fares would cost £1, with concessions paying just 50p return per journey.

For people travelling from Blackburn to Darwen, that is a saving of around 50p on Blackburn Transport fares.

There will be new services from Blackburn to Highercroft, Darwen via Hoddlesden, Darwen via Lower Darwen and Darwen via Chapeltown.

A circular route taking in Lammack and Revidge will also start running today .

Up until now, Blackburn Transport, which operates 108 buses, has had virtually no competition on its Blackburn services, with most routes being run either on its own or in partnership with other companies.

Suzanne Bailey, director of Catch-me-bus.com said: "We believe there is the room for two operators on these services.

"Initially, we will run from Monday to Friday but if the services take off we will look at weekends as well. I have bought 12 new buses, all of which are red, which is the colour buses should be.

"They aren't brand new but I think our lower fares and smiling drivers will help us to continue our success.

"It is the formula we have used on our Blackburn to Guide route, which we have operated since April and it has worked there."

But Michael Moreton, managing director of Blackburn Transport, the privatised version of the council's old corporation transport, said: "Their services are a carbon copy of ours and the fact they are just running five minutes ahead of our timetable shows there isn't the demand for two companies, they are just trying to poach passengers.

"I think it will just serve to confuse customers but we hope they will remain loyal, using our new and modern buses, which run not just Monday to Friday, but in the evenings and weekends as well.

"We will be introducing our reduced festive fares this month, as we do every year, and will then review the situation in the new year."

Catch-me-bus.com is also planning to build a new garage on the site of an old bleach works in Whitebirk Road, Blackburn.

The site was cordoned off by council staff earlier this year after asbestos was found in an old building there.

The current owners have three months to decontaminate it, although that responsibility could pass to Catch-me-bus.com if they buy the site.

All the new routes have been registered with the Traffic Commissioner. A Government spokeswoman said Catch Me buses had obtained all the necessary permission.

Ms Bailey is from Preston, where she previously worked. Her partner runs established firm DSP Transport, which operates contact routes in Blackburn.

The company was named after a website, www.Catch-me-bus.com, which will go live in the next couple of weeks with updated timetable and travel information.