A bus service linking Pendle's rural communities is having to be subsidised by more than £75 per passenger.

Lancashire County Council's is having to shell out £75.82 for a single journey a passenger takes on its West Craven Pendle Wayfarer service. The limit set for a subsidised service to be classed viable is £2.

The woman behind the route today called on residents to help her come up with ways of making it a success or face it being axed.

LCC launched three services last summer aimed at showing transport firms Pendle's rural communities could support a bus route.

Bus company Tyrer operates a timetabled regular route as well as a demand-responsive route where passengers can book in advanced to go to a specific destination between Nelson and Pendleside.

A demand responsive route also serves Barnoldswick, Bracewell, Earby, Salterforth, Kelbrook and Foulridge with Colne.

However, from April 6 the two non-designated routes will merge allowing West Craveners to travel to Nelson.

Susan Buckley, special projects officer for LCC said: "What we have at the moment is a glorified taxi with one person on a 23-seat bus.

"At the minute a single trip is being subsidised by £75.82, realistically we need to get it down to £2.

"Ordinarily we would pull the service but we are not going to do it.

"The two demand responsive services are going to join together and will expand to Nelson."

Mrs Buckley, who said the West Craven route was having to subsidised by £83 before Christmas, said one of the reasons for the lack of passengers was main operators such as Burnley and Pendle Transport had increased the frequency of its services between the application for funding and the Wayfarer's launch.

She added she has sent out 20,000 leaflets and 6,000 newsletters promoting the route to organisations including parish councils, youth and community groups, pubs and post offices.

Craven ward councillor David Whipp said: "There is no way the sort of subsidies being talked about here can continue.

"I desperately hope this might work and there is an influx of passengers because for some people this may be a lifeline."

Anyone wanting to contribute ideas should contact Mrs Buckley on 01772 533159 or email susanbuckley@env.lancs.gov.uk.