ANGRY bus drivers sent a warning to unruly passengers that they would be kicked off if they did not behave.

Bus drivers had even threatened to take buses off the road in this front page from 1979. For 30 minutes no buses were operating as a meeting was held to discuss the conduct of passengers.

At the time, an overtime ban was also being deployed in Darwen. Blackburn drivers were upset that passengers were criticising them for the actions of the Darwen bus drivers.

The Blackburn branch secretary of the transport union, Mr Doug Thornhill, said: ""If passengers cannot keep quiet, they'll have to face the possibility that they won't get their buses.

"Busmen in Blackburn have been carrying on under pressure during the Darwen men's dispute, yet we have been taking all the criticism from the public.

"The union meeting today was forced by the people on the No 8 main road Blackburn-Darwen bus. This service has been badly cut by the Darwen drivers' overtime ban, and the public has taken it out on us."

More than 150 men were at the union meeting in Railway Road and buses stopped for 30 minutes at 10am. The disagreement continued further.