BATTLING pensioner Rene Houldsworth is planning to take on transport bosses after buses disappeared from her neighbourhood at weekends.

Rene and her husband Jack, of Revidge Road, Blackburn, are enlisting the support of neighbours in a bid to put the vehicles back on the roads so that old people can get out and about again.

The furious campaigner said: "We live at the top of a steep hill, but there are no buses between 2.30pm on Friday and Monday morning.

"How are elderly people supposed to get to the shops or into the town centre? We can't afford taxis and some people don't drive.

"There's also an old people's home up here, and it makes life very difficult for some of the visitors."

Michael Morton, managing director of Blackburn Transport, said: "The weekend services to Revidge Road were simply not a viable proposition commercially.

"We weren't taking enough money in fares even to cover the drivers' wages."

However, he said Blackburn Transport ran an 11A/11C service to Beardwood over seven days which went close to the area and stopped near the Dog Inn.

Rene said that was around a mile from her home and added: "If we can't get anywhere I'll be going out there knocking on doors and raising a petition.

"We've been left stranded. The Dog Inn is nowhere near my house."

Asked whether Blackburn Transport would consider providing a service should a petition be organised Mr Morton said: "According to the 1985 Transport Act we are not allowed to run any service that is not commercially viable.

"Mrs Houldsworth needs to take up the matter with Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council which can run a subsidised service."

Coun Paul McGurty, a Conservative councillor for the Corporation Park ward, said: "I would say about 80 per cent of the people who live in that area are elderly and they are effectively stranded after 2.30pm on weekdays and all weekend.

"They just cannot go anywhere."

Former Conservative leader Jim Hirst added: "This isn't the only part of Blackburn to be cut off after hours. I think Sunnyhurst in Darwen is the same as well."

Coun Andy Kay, whose regeneration department dishes out bus subsidies, was not available for comment.