Darwen bus firm's pledge over services (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Darwen bus firm's pledge over services

2:19pm Friday 13th February 2009 in Belthorn By Catherine Pye, Reporter

BOSSES at a bus company have pledged to battle on providing services despite being placed into administration.

J&S Travel Ltd, of Bolton Road, Darwen, made an appointment with administrators on February 5 over a “small cash flow problem”.

The company runs routes under contract with Blackburn with Darwen Council and Lancashire County Council to Edgworth, Tockholes, Belthorn and Blackburn, and school services in Chorley and for Haslingden High School.

Manager John Dearden said: “We want to make it clear that we are still trading through this administration and no jobs will be lost.

“We have had a few problems in recent months because of the price of fuel and subsequent cash flow problems, but we are looking at various ways of pulling through this.

“At the moment the way has been to put ourselves into administration, but it’s going to be all right.

“The services we run are absolutely vital for the people in outlying areas of Darwen, and for schoolchildren in particular.

“If we didn’t do this, nobody else would do it because the routes aren’t financially viable for them, and the people would suffer.

“I think a lot of small companies in the area are suffering the same thing at the moment because of the financial climate. It’s absolutely terrible.”

The company was founded in 2000 and employs 13 staff. It runs 13 buses.

Lancashire County Council’s bus services network manager, Ashley Weir, said: “J&S have given us the standard 12 weeks notice required to terminate a couple of their contracts with us. This is not a problem as we will simply offer the contracts to other operators.

“The company does not operate any commercial services in Lancashire and so it will be up to us to fill any gaps the company leaves.

“We will be speaking with J&S about the longer-term future of the company in order to ensure that the users of their services do not suffer.”

Coun Alan Cottam, executive member for regeneration and environment at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “We are awaiting confirmation from the appointed administrators of their plans for the company.

“If the administrator, on behalf of the operator, wanted to terminate the current contract, a period of 12 weeks’ notice would have to be given, to allow sufficient time to tender the service to other operators.”