DARWEN MP Janet Anderson has written to bus company Lancashire United demanding that wheelchair-friendly buses are reinstated on routes in the town.

Recent changes and cuts by the company have seen single-decker buses, which drop to meet kerbs, replaced by standard double-deckers.

Mrs Anderson was contacted by pensioners Joyce and Bill Barnes, of Higher Perry Street, who say they have been greatly affected since the changes to the No2 route.

Mrs Barnes said: “My husband has a wheelchair and can’t get on these double deckers.

“We have to go to the hospital quite a lot for him and now we can’t use the buses.

“We have to rely on patient transport or taxis, which cost a bit of money.

“It’s crazy when you have a bus pass and can’t use it.

“And even when it’s a nice day and we fancy going out somewhere, we can’t now. We feel like prisoners in our own home.

“You can’t get prams on the double-deckers easily, either.

“Someone needs to stand up and be counted about this, but it’s a private company and I’m not confident we’ll get any-where.”

Mrs Anderson wrote to Nigel Eggleton, Lancashire United director of sales and marketing.

She told him: “This change has severely hampered Mr and Mrs Barnes’s quality of life.

"Not only in accessing the hospital but in accessing other parts of the borough.

“No doubt you have received many complaints about the change by Transdev to non ‘low floor’ buses.

“It seems silly that if Transdev wants to attract custom that they are using buses that are not accessible to many people.”

Mr Eggleton pledged to look into the matter.

He said: “We will be replying to Janet Anderson’s letter in the next few days and will be looking once again to see if there is an alternative to the provision in Darwen.”