A BUS operator told Lancashire County Council it is withdrawing from five local routes serving a major market town.

Rosso Bus will cease running the fully-subsidised 11, 12 and 13 services and the partially-supported 7 and 11 in January.

A spokesman for the company, taken over by Transdev in December 2017, said: “Despite these services being operated via a competitive tender process, these routes all make a loss.”

A county council spokesman said: “Although subject to review if required as part of service replacement options, the services 11, 12 and 13 will continue to operate, albeit potentially by a different service provider.

“We operate Services 7 and 8 with Rosso Bus, with the authority supporting the parts of the route which are not commercially viable between Rawtenstall, Bacup and Todmorden.

“We are working with transport providers to explore the options to maintain a sustainable replacement service.”

Service 11 covers Rawtenstall, Haslingden and Helmshore Circular; Service 12 is the Rawtenstall and Balladen Circular; and Service 13 connects Rawtenstall and New Hall Hey Circular .

Services 7 and 8 travel between Rawtenstall, Bacup, Burnley and Todmorden.

The section of these routes between Bacup and Burnley is used by more than 60 students who qualify for statutory home to school transport from Weir and Bacup to The Valley Leadership Academy.