SERVICES are being axed and drivers laid off as part of sweeping changes affecting every bus route in Blackburn and Darwen.

Some areas will be left without any bus link as Lancashire United looks to shave more than £1million from its budget.

Residents in areas affected have been left ‘disgusted’ by the changes.

Some areas, including Mill Hill, will see a more frequent service, but most routes are being cutback as the operator looks to reduce the number of buses - and drivers - on the roads.

The axed routes include the Feniscowles to Ewood link, which was only reinstated four months ago after an outcry by residents. Lancashire United said only three people a day were using the service.

Hoddlesden also faces being left without a bus link, a move locals say will “cut off “ the village and make it impossible for pensioners to travel around.

Other areas left without a service are Pleckgate, East Park Road, Hamilton Street, Parkinson Street, Hoddlesden and Spring Vale.

Buses have also been withdrawn from Revidge Road, Preston New Road and Guide, although these areas are still covered by alternative services.

Other routes will be renumbered as part of the reshuffle, including the Hyndburn circular route.

Bosses are blaming the recession and the impact of a cut in the refund given to provide free travel for pensioners.

Council chiefs have described these claims as ‘absolute rubbish’.

The bitter row between Lancashire’s bus companies and councils over funding for pensioners’ free travel is now heading for a courtroom battle later this year.

The route alterations, revealed in a staff memo seen by the Lancashire Telegraph, go well beyond the previous changes announced in February, which bosses promised would “safeguard the future of the network”.

The memo tells Lancashire United drivers to keep passengers up-to-date with the September 20 changes, which it says will cause “some upheaval”.

It appears to rule out fare increases, saying this is “not the best solution”, but adds: “Whilst cost savings are taking place internally, resulting in redundancies throughout our Lancashire operations, there has to be action taken on the heavily loss-making services”.

One of the borough’s two depots, at Manner Sutton Street and Intack, will also be closed.

It is open to Blackburn with Darwen Council to steping in and subsidising the routes, but the town hall said it already paid out about £4million a year to prop up loss-making routes.

Council leader Michael Lee said: “They say they are struggling, but we keep putting money in. I am disappointed that cutting routes always seems to be the only option.”

Alongside the recession and a 10 per cent drop in passengers, Lancashire United, which took over the network from Blackburn Transport in 2007, again blamed a cut in the amount of money it is given for providing free travel for over 60s for the move.

Commercial director David Wilson said the “dramatic” 20 per cent cut in the refund the firm is given by councils meant it was only given 57p for a £1.50 adult journey into town, less than a child fare.

He said: “In an ideal world we’d rather not make changes but as the vast majority of our services are commercially operated we can’t afford loss-making routes.

“The combination of the reduction in concessionary fare reimbursement and the recession means fares on some of the services don’t even cover the cost of the driver’s wages.”

“Some areas were buses have been withdrawn will still be served by other routes. But, in a limited number of cases, passenger numbers are so low that they can’t support commercially operated services.”

Lancashire’s bus companies have now lodged a court appeal for a judicial review against the councils’ joint decision to cut the subsidy, with the case expected to come to court later this year.

Lancashire United claims the move costs the firm £100,000 a month in Blackburn and Darwen alone.

And earlier this year it was revealed Rossendale Transport was putting up its fares, blaming the shortfall from the concessionary fares row.

But Coun Lee said it was “absolute rubbish” to blame the councils for the companies’ shortfall.

He added: “The money they are getting is money that was not there before”.

Councillor Julie Slater, whose East Rural ward covers Hoddlesden, said: “This is absolutely disgusting.

“Just because I live in a rural area doesn’t mean I don’t use the bus.”

Some of the key changes planned for September 20, taken from the memo to Lancashire United bus drivers: Brownhill, Roe Lee, Whalley New Road (Service 225) Bus stops on Whalley New Road between Emerald Street and Brownhill Drive not served.

Openshaw Drive (Spot On 12) Now goes via Whalley New Road. Earl Street, Wimberley Street and Troy Street reduced to an hourly service.

Revidge Road and Pleckgate Service withdrawn, because of an average less than two passengers a day.

Outer circle route still runs along Revidge Road at certain times.

Lammack, Beardwood and Revidge (Spot On 9, 9a, 13) Journeys from Revidge into town rerouted via Wensley Fold.

Journeys via Lammack into town rerouted via Wimberley Street and reduced to hourly. East Park Road not served.

Peak-time service reduced.

Johnston Road/Livingstone Road served hourly.

Wensley Road served hourly, but Witton is not served.

Shadsworth (Spot On 17, 18) Four buses an hour to and from the town centre.

Reduced to every 30 minutes to Oswaldtwistle and Accrington.

Rerouted via Higher Audley, misses out Lower Audley.

Mill Hill (Spot On 3, 4) Main route to town centre improved to every 10 minutes.

Route via Parkinson Street and Hamilton Street is withdrawn because of low usage.

King’s Road, Leyburn Road and Moorgate Street (Spot On 4) Frequency improved to every 20 minutes on route via Mill Hill.

Link from Leyburn Road to Ewood withdrawn.

Feniscowles and Green Lane (Spot On 3) Frequency improved via Mill Hill and Green Lane.

But link with Ewood withdrawn again.

Blackburn Hospital (Spot On 2, 2a) Journeys from town to start in Ainsworth Street.

The stop outside the hospital on journeys on existing services from Haslingden Road will be withdrawn.

Guide (Spot On 2a) Daytime and Saturday service withdrawn Monday to Friday peak services retained for industrial estates.

Newfield Drive (Spot On 2, 12) Parts of Higher Croft will lose link to hospital but Outer Circle route will still operate.

Darwen via Chapels (Spot On 2, 2a) Hoddlesden and Spring Vale no longer served.

Darwen via Ewood (Spot On 1, 1a, 1b, 225) Revised Saturday service (every 10 minutes to Circus, every 30 minutes to Cemetery).

Oswaldtwistle (Spot On 1a, 1b, 18) Frequency reduces to every 10 minutes.

Frequency to Blackburn via Shadsworth reduces to every 30 minutes.