9:10pm Wednesday 17th February 2010
By Tom Moseley
TWO popular summer seaside bus services have been scrapped after 15 years because of a funding cut.
The daily coaches, which were almost full on sunny days, went to Blackpool and Fleetwood from East Lancashire and were set to begin next month in time for Easter.
Passengers now face a three-hour trip, one hour longer than the old service, changing at Preston using local buses.
The services were the X4, from Barnoldswick, Colne, Nelson, Burnley, Padiham and Whalley and the X64, from Oswaldtwistle and Accrington.
But they are no longer covered by the government’s free bus pass scheme for pensioners.
Last year Hyndburn Council stepped in and funded the X64, while the X4 ran a reduced service.
Lancashire United marketing director, Nigel Eggleton, said the decision made by the bus company was 'a great shame'.
He said: “The two routes were quite popular. They gave people a convenient day out at the seaside without a car.
"However, last year, without the reimbursement from the concessionary fares scheme, the number of passengers travelling dropped and the routes no longer cover even their basic costs.
“It’s a great shame and we’ve delayed ending the service as long as possible in the hope that a solution could be found."
Hyndburn Council leader Peter Britcliffe said the bus firm was 'not prepared to renew the scheme with them'.
He said: "We will be looking into alternatives to keep a service for older people, and I urge anyone who has a bus or coach firm willing to do these journeys to get in touch with me.”
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