THE new company running buses in East Lancashire has announced a new 'fare deal' for passengers, with cheaper tickets, newer vehicles and more frequent services.

Lancashire United, part of Blazefield Holdings which took over Stagecoach's bus operations in a £8 million deal at Easter, launched the improvements at the weekend. They centre on the Burnley to Preston 152 service and the Hyndburn Circular which links communities throughout Accrington.

A spokesman for Blazefield Holdings said the group had already spent more than £5million on new buses in Burnley and Pendle and was now investing in its Blackburn-based Lancashire United services.

"We are working constantly to improve and enhance the bus services we acquired," he said. "The group has already spent over £5million on brand new low-floor, easy-access buses for Burnley and Pendle and we are steadily introducing similar modern buses at the Blackburn and Clitheroe depots.

"We want our Lancashire customers to share in the benefits of good quality buses running on frequent reliable services at attractive prices."

The 152 service from Burnley to Preston now operates at approximately 30-minute intervals from Monday to Saturday at peak times, with additional services running in both directions. There is also a new weekly ticket for the 152 offering unlimited travel between Burnley and Preston for £12. The weekly tickets within Burnley and Blackburn and Hyndburn both cost £8.50.

Changes to the Hyndburn Circular, for which a new timetable is available, have been introduced to improve time-keeping and reliability.

On the clockwise Circular, all journeys from and to Blackburn are now numbered 6 or 6B, running every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday during the day. On the anti-clockwise Circular, all journeys are numbered 7 or 7B.

Between Intack and Oswaldtwistle, services 6 and 7 run via Thwaites Road, West End and Blackburn Road. Services 6B and 7B run via Stanhill and Windsor Road.

In Great Harwood, services 6 and 7 run via Russell Place, Wordsworth Drive and Shakespeare Avenue. Services 6B and 7B run direct along Blackburn Road.