MINIBUS services in Darwen provided by a community transport company will be expanded next month.

From Monday, April 24, Travel Assist will run an extra route, more regular buses and operate all services five or six days a week.

The firm has said routes have been altered to meet customer requests including taking in Olive Lane in Sudell.

Cllr Roy Davies, who represents the area, said: “This is spot on, but Darwen people need to use these services or lose them.”

The firm took on a handful of services a few days a week in January after the December collapse of Darwen Coach Services but has now issued a new, more comprehensive timetable.

Jim Coulthard, a director of Travel Assist which operates 18 minibuses from a depot in Railway Road, said: “We launched experimental services in January which have gone well.

“We have therefore expanded out services to five or six days a week, altered the routes after feedback from passengers and councillors and added a new amended TA6 route.

“There will be more buses each day running until later.”

The TA1 will provide three services a day Monday to Friday each way from Darwen Bus Station to Bromley Cross and Edgworth via Marsh House, Pole Lane and Blacksnape with a fourth later service from the White Horse to Lee Gate Shopping Centre.

The TA2 services will run six days a week between Bury, Bromley, Cross and Darwen with four services each way

On weekdays there will be eight buses on a circular TA3 route between Sunnyhurst and Birch Hall via Sudell and Olive Lane on the TA3 route and eight on the new circular route TA6 taking in Darwen and Bold Venture.

The TA8 circular service will provide eight services on a circular route between Darwen and Spring Vale via Marsh House and Ashton.

Cllr Eileen Entwistle, Sudell ward councillor who led the talks with Travel Assist, said: “I am really pleased with the new timetable and routes.”

Cllr Phil Riley, Blackburn with Darwen highway boss, said: “This will be a better services for people in Darwen.”