Petition needed after rural bus axed

I learned recently the through rural bus service from Clitheroe to Settle had been axed by Lancashire County Council from early January. I have used this service from time to time from around 2005 and know it is valued by locals and visitors.
By The Newsroom
Published 14th Feb 2014, 17:02 BST
Rural bus services are under threatRural bus services are under threat
Rural bus services are under threat

I had taken the trouble to email the county council to praise it and also had a letter recommending it to readers published in a glossy County magazine in spring 2012.

I gather it was not possible for officials of both Lancs and North Yorkshire CC’s to get together to organise some form of continuation – even if it had been only two through journeys, one in the morning and one late afternoon. A 50% reduction would have been better than nothing.

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The Interchange advise me the service now terminates at Slaidburn and North Yorkshire run the other part only to Rathmell and Tossside, which sees a gap in the middle of 10 minutes’ journey time, or a few miles.

Previously, the trip was split into two separate buses, which met at Slaidburn Car Park. There were problems with this arrangement if a service was late and the onward connection was missed however.

As county councillors have “signed off” on the ruination of this rural bus service, the response from locals must surely be to organise a petition at all village stops en route and then take the matter up with the chair of the council’s Transport Committee. This could be an election issue when the time comes.

Simon Pearce

Bromley Cross, Bolton

Related topics:PetitionLancashire County CouncilClitheroeNorth Yorkshire