8:00pm Monday 26th January 2009
By Catherine Pye
A “LIFELINE” bus link from Darwen to the Royal Blackburn Hospital is to be scrapped next month.
The No2 Transdev Lancashire United service will be altered on February 22 so it no longer calls at the hospital.
The nearest stop will be close to KFC in Haslingden Road.
To go direct to the hospital, passengers will need to ride to Blackburn and change.
Pensioner Joyce Barnes, of Higher Perry Street, who uses the service with her husband twice a week, said: “I was so annoyed when I found out.
“It will leave a lot of people in a predicament. In taxis it will cost me £25. It looks like Darwen has been cut off once again.”
A supply teacher who did not want to be named said: “That route is so important, it’s usually packed and the changes will add extra time to my journey.
Darwen councillor Roy Davies said: “It’s a lot more inconvenient for people in Darwen to have to get the bus to Blackburn and then to the hospital.
“It’s more stress on people who are ill anyway. That bus is a lifeline for quite a lot of people.
Coun Julie Slater, who represents the East Rural ward, said: “I’m absolutely disgusted. We need to stop this happening.
“It will cause major disruption especially for the elderly people who depend on using the buses.”
It is the second blow to passengers in the area in eight months, after the number 16 Lancashire United service, which ran from the Hospital to Lower Darwen and Darwen town centre, was replaced because the service was losing £3,000 a week.
Lancashire United were unavailable for comment.
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