Council chiefs meet over village bus axe plans

County councillors will meet to consider the implications of bus operator Transdev scrapping Sabden's one and only bus service.
Sabden residents put on an impressive display of protest over plans to axe their bus service.
Protestors gather around the village bus stop.  PIC BY ROB LOCK
14-3-2016Sabden residents put on an impressive display of protest over plans to axe their bus service.
Protestors gather around the village bus stop.  PIC BY ROB LOCK
14-3-2016
Sabden residents put on an impressive display of protest over plans to axe their bus service. Protestors gather around the village bus stop. PIC BY ROB LOCK 14-3-2016

Lancashire County Council’s Cabinet Working Group on Bus Services, which comprises of a number of county councillors from across the county, will now consider the implications of this withdrawal and assess the requirement of a replacement transport provision in Sabden.

A briefing note to the working group from Lancashire County Council explains: “The withdrawal of the Mainline bus service will remove all regular public transport links through Sabden, and to a lesser extent northern areas of Read along Whins Lane.

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“There are a number of school buses transporting students to Billington and Clitheroe schools, however there will be no transport links for residents to access employment, education or medical/welfare especially to Burnley.

“Following discussions with other bus service providers, none are willing to provide a replacement bus service through Sabden on a commercial basis.”

Transdev decided to axe the service following the withdrawal of subsidies from Lancashire County Council and will make a number of wide ranging changes to its services throughout the Ribble Valley, Burnley and Pendle areas from Sunday, May 1st.

Among the changes is the standardisation and simplification of Transdev’s main core bus Mainline bus route linking Ribble Valley, Burnley and Pendle areas. Furthermore Service X43, The Witch Way route linking Burnley and Pendle through to Manchester, is being expanded through Pendle to Skipton, offering faster journeys from Skipton, Barnoldswick and Colne through to Burnley and direct service to Manchester.

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But as a consequence of these revisions, Sabden and the whole route between Burnley and Bacup will no longer be served.

Sabden Parish Councillor John Shorter is asking people to write to the county council with their individual stories and reasons to keep the service.

The email addresses are: busservices@lancashire. gov.uk and lcc.gov.services @l
ancashire/gov.uk.