Call for Lancashire County Council to help fund a new hospital shuttle service

Coun. Gordon Birtwistle, who represents Coalclough with Deerplay, has long advocated for bringing back Burnley General’s accident and emergency department. The unit closed in 2007 and became an urgent care centre that treats minor injuries and illnesses, with more serious cases going to Royal Blackburn Hospital.

The East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust runs a free bus shuttle between the Royal Blackburn, Burnley General, and Pendle Community Hospitals. It will cease offering the service from Monday, March 31st, as it cannot afford the annual operations costs of £780,000.

Although the county council has said it cannot help fund a replacement bus service, Coun. Birtwistle believes the authority has a “moral responsibility” to do so. He has been campaigning in the town centre on Saturday mornings to engage the public on this issue and says he has been unable to secure a meeting with executive members of the county council.

"I don't blame the Trust. It's not their responsibility to get people to the hospital. The people who should be putting the money in is Lancashire County Council because they deliver health and social care. I think the council has a moral responsibility to help pay for it. They should be working with everybody to work this out. They should be making sure elderly and disabled people can get to hospital appointments. As far as I'm concerned, the care for elderly and sick people is the priority.

"Some elderly people have said to me. 'I won't be able to get there.' That's terrible. It's an appalling situation to be in.

"If people are coming from Nelson, that's three buses. If you're sick and suffering and going to the hospital for tests and check-ups, that's a hell of a journey, especially in winter.”

Hundreds of readers have taken to social media over the past few weeks to express their worries about the Trust’s decision, including the cost of travelling to Blackburn hospital without the shuttle due to the number of bus and train journeys required, and the increase of the bus fare cap to £3.

Many are particularly concerned about the impact on elderly, disabled and low-income people who would struggle to walk between Blackburn bus station and the hospital, or to afford the extra cost of buses.

A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council said: "The East Lancashire NHS Trust, who run the privately owned shuttle bus service, made the decision to cut this and did not consult Lancashire County Council.

"We understand the concerns the Trust's decision has caused. However, there is a well-connected public transport service running between all three hospital sites (Pendle Community, Burnley General, and Blackburn). Journeys can be planned using the Traveline website at www.traveline.info

"As the Local Transport Authority, Lancashire County Council is the only organisation (within Lancashire) that can commission a subsidised public bus service. Any service would need to consider the wider public need, duty to taxpayers, and provide value for money. We cannot provide any funding towards a replacement bus service between hospital sites."