RESIDENTS in the Daneshouse area of Burnley were cheering today because their buses are back!

Stagecoach re-routed its buses after Burnley Council built speed-reducing road humps along Abel Street which the engineers admitted were at the "limit of severity".

At one stage residents blockaded the road refusing to let the buses take the different route.

Now the humps have had asphalt added to lessen their severity the buses have been re-introduced to the street and everyone is happy.

Ward Coun Mozaquir Ali, who campaigned for the buses to be reinstated, said: "I called a public meeting in July when there were about 80 residents, including elderly people, protesting about the buses.

"Since then we have had seven or eight sometimes heated meetings and we now have a compromise which is acceptable to the bus company and residents.

"While we accept that the humps were causing problems to bus drivers and passengers they did do their job of slowing motorists down. I hope the modifications that have been made do not increase traffic speeds." Owner of Kashmir Motor Supplies Mazoor Zakhmi Hussain praised Coun Ali and fellow Coun Arif Khan for their hard-work in getting the buses restored.

Mr Hussain said: "I am very glad that the buses are running as normal because it has affected my business very badly and it has been an inconvenience for the residents."

Coun Rafik Malik added: "The alternative service was causing problems especially for the elderly people who were having difficulty crossing the very busy Colne Road.

"It was quite dangerous for them. I am very pleased they will now be able to do their Christmas shopping in safety and more conveniently. Everyone is agreed the measures taken are sensible.''

Operations director for Stagecoach Dave Ashworth said the firm was sorry. "We want to apologise for the inconvenience people have suffered by this service being re-routed and we are happy to return to our original route with buses every 30 minutes."

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