COUNCILLORS have failed in their bid to have a lifeline bus service from Accrington to Royal Blackburn Hospital re-altered to serve residents in Green Haworth.

Following the withdrawal of £93,000 of funding for “cross-border” routes by town hall chiefs in Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire County Council made changes to services.

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One change was diverting the 14 and 14A route so it no longer serves Green Haworth, Fern Gore and Broadfield, although there are alternatives for the latter two neighbourhoods.

The changes came into effect last month, but Hyndburn Borough Councillors had been lobbying the authority to reverse the decision.

But in a letter to Hyndburn Borough Council leader Cllr Miles Parkinson, Cllr John Fillis, LCCs cabinet member for highways and transport, said the decision would not be reversed at this stage.

He wrote: “I appreciate Green Haworth is no longer going to be served by a regular bus service, however there are on average 15 passenger trips made per day to and from this area, with the overwhelming majority of journeys made by non-statutory entitled school children.

“LCC is extending School Bus Service 867, serving Mount Carmel RC High School, through Fern Gore to and from Green Haworth CEPS. The school and parents affected have been notified of this change.

“Due to this reduction in funding we have been forced to reduce the number of buses operating on this contract and as such we are no longer able to meet the requirements of all residents.”

Cllr Fillis said he was in support of Hyndburn Borough Council and LCC writing jointly to the Department for Transport “regarding protecting and creating a dedicated fund for rural bus services”.

Cllr Peter Ratcliffe, Lancashire County Councillor for Oswaldtwistle, said: “This is a very disappointing result from John Fillis.

“The bus is a lifeline for some people, often elderly, in the small village of Green Haworth .”