BUS improvements are set to start soon after a £3m investment to support services by Lancashire County Council.

Better services are due to begin in the Burnley and Pendle area, after another new service started last week in Rossendale.

The county council last year agreed to make an extra £1m available to support bus services, increasing the budget from £2m to £3m.

The new services follow a raft of improvements which were introduced in December 2017, focused on restoring lost links between rural communities, putting extra buses on routes where there is more demand.

County Cllr Andrew Snowden, lead member for highways and transport, said: "These new buses add to all the improved services which began in December 2017, restoring even more public transport links to local communities.

"We've listened to what people have told us about the local need for these buses, and the difference they will make to their lives.

"My fellow county councillors who serve these areas have put forward a strong case for these lost links to be restored.

"In some places we're also putting on more services at peak times where there's a demand for more buses to help people access work and education.


"The new contracts are for three years I'd ask that everyone support these services once they begin operating to help us sustain them.

"Improving public transport is one of our priorities as it supports our economy, widening access to opportunities for work and education.

"Buses also provide journeys for essential activities such as seeing friends and family, visiting the shops and attending vital appointments."

From Monday 12 February there will be a number of changes to routes in the Burnley and Pendle area.

Service 95/95A Colne – Nelson – Burnley (Pendle Green Line)

A new Service 95A will be introduced, which will combine with Service 95 to improve services between Colne, Nelson & Burnley General Hospital, with the general frequency increased from hourly to half-hourly.

The service through Brierfield, including Halifax Road, and Alkincoats will be restored with improved hourly frequencies, replacing the current Service 9 Nelson – Brierfield Circular. The service will be operated by Holmeswood Coaches.

Service 14 Burnley – Clifton Farm Circular

The timetable will be revised to include extra journeys at peak times to help people access work and education. The service will be operated by Holmeswood Coaches.

Service 15 Burnley – Healey Wood – Rose Hill
Service 15A Burnley – Burnley Wood – Rose Hill

The route and timetable will be revised, introducing the new Service 15A to restore the service to Burnley Wood as well as improve the service for the Moorland Road area of Rose Hill.

The general frequency for Moorland Road will be increased from every hour to every half hour, with Burnley Wood/Glen View Road and Healey Wood/Rosehill Road each being served hourly. These services will be operated by Harris Travel.

Cllr Jeff Sumner, who represents Burnley South, added: "I would like to thank County Councillor Towneley for helping me to get this project of returning the bus service to Burnley Wood over the line at County Hall, and the officers who heard our pleas.

"But a special thank you to the residents of Burnley Wood for their patience in waiting until we managed to get the bus back. We haven't only just returned the bus back to Burnley Wood but in doing so we have improved the service for the Rosehill ward which I'm also highly delighted about."

Meanwhile another new service began on Monday 29 January in Rossendale.

Service 456/466 Rawtenstall – Bacup - Todmorden

The new Service 466 operates between Rawtenstall, Bacup and Todmorden, restoring a daytime local bus link across the Rossendale Valley between Rawtenstall and Todmorden.

Operated by Rosso, the new service is linked with the company's existing Service 465 which operates only at the start and end of the school day. The new Service 466 offers services every 90 minutes throughout the day, running between Rawtenstall and Todmorden via Waterfoot, New Line, Bacup and Sharneyford. The new service restores the link to New Line, Bacup.

You can find out more by searching for 'bus improvements' at www.lancashire.gov.uk.