Burnley Council to thank for bus station signs

In response to the Burnley Express article “‘People power’ triumphs in signs campaign”, I would like to set out the following information.
Electronic bus timetables in Burnley Bus Station. 
Photo Ben ParsonsElectronic bus timetables in Burnley Bus Station. 
Photo Ben Parsons
Electronic bus timetables in Burnley Bus Station. Photo Ben Parsons

Lancashire County Council withdrew funding for electronic signs at Burnley Bus Station because of Government cuts to their funding.

I and my colleagues immediately began to investigate ways of funding replacement signs.

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Meanwhile, realising this would be a popular move, Gordon Birtwistle began a petition to get the signs reinstated. He did not send the petition to the county council, he hand-delivered it and they refused to accept it. They stuck to their position that they could not afford to reinstate the signs.

Even though funds are extremely tight at Burnley Council, I have prioritised funding for the signs as I know how much the public of Burnley have missed them. The signs have now been reinstated and will be fully operational in the next couple of days when a couple of technical issues have been resolved. I reiterate this had nothing whatsoever to do with Gordon Birtwistle because county council refused his plea.

This issue was raised by a member of the public at the Question Time event at the UTC in Burnley last Thursday evening. Gordon admitted there, in front of an audience of around 80 people, that he had misled people. Those were his words.

I am really glad I have been able to restore the signs for the sake of Burnley people particularly the elderly and am extremeley annoyed that Gordon is, once again, seeking to ‘mislead’ the people of Burnley for his own political advantage.

Julie Cooper

Labour Group Leader, Burnley Council