THE late-night bus service between Haslingden and Rochdale is to be subsidised by Lancashire County Council for six months.

The 464 service between Rochdale and Haslingden was funded by Rossendale Borough Council until this weekend.

But it has withdrawn funding for the 21.40pm and 22.40pm services on Mondays to Saturdays.

Transport bosses at county hall have stepped in, and County Coun Tim Ashton, for highways and transport, has approved plans to subsidise the service on a six-month trial.

Tim Gornall, of Lancashire County Council, said: “According to on-bus surveys and ticket machine data, there are approximately 13,500 trips made per annum on the 21.40 and 22.40 journeys from Rochdale to Haslingden.

"This equates to an average of 270 weekly passenger trips.”