FEWER people are taking bus journeys in Blackburn with Darwen and Lancashire, new figures show.

Statistics published by the Department for Transport show passenger numbers in Blackburn with Darwen dropped by 200,000 from 3.8million in 2016/17 to 3.6m in 2017/18.

And in Lancashire, numbers fell to 44m bus journeys across the county – 1.1m down on the previous year.

Local Government Association bosses have warned more services are at risk unless councils are given more funding to subsidise them.

Support for bus services from central and local government in Blackburn with Darwen has fallen drastically in the last decade.

In 2009/10, £1.1m was paid out in support to help keep services running.

But financial backing has been almost non-existent in recent years with £250,000 in 2016/17, £60,000 in 2017/18 and a £10,000 budget for 2018/19 - all provided by Blackburn with Darwen Council.

In Lancashire, central and local government spent £4m on local bus services during the 12 months to March 2018.

Support hit a high of £10m in 2012/13 but has fallen by more than half since then.

Cllr Martin Tett, the LGA’s transport spokesman, said: “Local authorities want to protect the bus services which provide a vital service for our communities and are a lifeline for our most vulnerable residents to go shopping, pick up medication, attend doctor appointments or socialise. But due to funding pressures and the underfunding of the national free bus pass scheme, councils have been forced to reduce or scale back these services and review subsidised routes, and even reduce spending on other vital services to plug the gap.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: “Buses are vital for connecting people, homes and businesses, which is why we help subsidise costs by around £250m every year and support local authority spending."