COUNCIL bosses in Burnley have questioned why they are set to lose the information centre in the town’s bus station as the result of proposed cuts.

Budget plans for Lancashire County Council have suggested the office at the town’s Croft Street interchange should shut, as should a similar facility in Burscough, to save £80,000.

But Burnley Council leader Cllr Mark Townsend has questioned the rationale behind the decision, which would see the information offices at Nelson and Clitheroe remain.

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More key services, to the likes of Pendle, Ribble Valley, Hyndburn, Rossendale, Todmorden, Halifax, Prestwich and Manchester, use Burnley bus station than they do its east Lancashire rivals.

In a letter to the county authority’s leader Cllr Jennifer Mein, Cllr Townsend said: “Burnley bus station is busy. The council would therefore request further discussions with the county council about the rationale for retaining services in Clitheroe and Nelson but not Burnley.”

The borough council is also concerned about a further decision to cease subsidised bus routes and has called for measures to mitigate the impact on older people, passengers with disabilities and young people accessing work or education.

A Lancashire County Council spokesman said: “The county council rents the space for the information centre within Burnley bus station from the borough council, whereas we own the interchange facilities at Clitheroe and Nelson.”

He said the proposal was one of a number of options drawn up by officers.

The spokesman said that no final decision had been made, although the county’s cabinet meets today to discuss the budget.