Blaming rising fuel costs, insurance and little financial assistance, Blackburn Private Hire suddenly announced it was stopping providing bus services in the town.
While catching the Lammack bus on the 18th of April, its driver started handing out leaflets to passengers. This said the service would terminate on the 16th of May. The leaflet appeared to be giving 4 weeks’ notice. The other affected routes include Sunnybower and the clockwise and anticlockwise Highercroft routes, via the Royal Blackburn Hospital.
These bus services are a lifeline for many people, especially the elderly, who rely on public transport for their daily needs. In these troubled times we live, especially with the oil crisis due to the war in Iran, buses should be more readily available, not less. They may be able to tempt drivers out of their cars and help conserve fuel supplies. Unfortunately BPH say it is the uncertainty of the price of fuel which was a catalyst for making them decide to end their bus services in Blackburn.
This is the second time the number 10 bus service has been terminated. Blackburn Private Hire took over this route last time and many passengers were grateful. The service was restored after protests from passengers and local councillors.
On the subject of councillors, local elections will soon be taking place on May 7th. Perhaps people could ask these prospective politicians if they are aware of these bus routes being withdrawn and what efforts they are making over restoring these threatened bus services?
Questions have been raised as to why the bus operator cannot access grant funding to support the continuation of these essential services.
Blackburn Private Hire say they have requested finance from the local authorities in the past. But they only received a grant for the Saturday service. Yet money was found to restore the Outer Circle service with government funding from the bus service improvement plan. Our council received £3.7M to help improve services across the borough. Sadly this service is used very little. Nowhere near as much, apart from on Rovers match days, as the four services which are being withdrawn.
Stop Press: All is not lost. The services which have been withdrawn by Blackburn Private Hire are going to carry on running from the 18th of May. They will be operated by the Blackburn Bus Company. This is excellent news. It means modern buses, taking card payments, along with cash and more frequent services along the routes. All we need now is for people to catch these bus services – Use them, or lose them!