A BUS user has feared many people will become isolated after a bus company announced it would be cutting all its services on a weekend.

Blackburn Private Hire will axe its 3, 10, 12A and 12C services on Saturday.

These routes serve Sunnybower, Lammack, and Highercroft, all providing access into the town centre.

The company told the Lancashire Telegraph it was no longer “financially viable” to run the services on a Saturday, but its Monday to Friday services would not be affected.

Maud Pickup, who lives on Revidge Road, said people may physically and financially struggle to get to and from the town centre without the buses.

She said: “I’m able to walk to town, but I will need to get a taxi back home, at the cost of £5.

“The bus is free at the moment on my pass so it will get very costly.

“Some people can’t afford to pay that and are not physically able to walk to town.

“It will see some people not leaving the house.

“If there’s bad weather it will stop others going out too because there isn’t a bus to get them home.”

The company was incorporated in 2000 and has served the town for two decades.

The services provide stops at several areas including Whalley Old Road, Preston New Road, Royal Blackburn Hospital, Shear Brow and Revidge Road.

A Blackburn Private Hire spokesman said: “This is a decision that we have not taken lightly. The services on a Saturday are not making enough money to make it financially viable to continue, not enough revenue is coming in.

“The money the company is making on a Saturday does not cover the costs of fuel and wages.

“The weekday services are not going to be affected.

“It is not just customers that are having an impact, my staff are now working less days.

“The appropriate and correct channels of notice were provided once we were given the ability to let customers know.

“A lot of thought and planning has gone into the decision and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

A Blackburn with Darwen Council spokesman said as the bus services have no financial support from the council, it has no authority over the cancellation.

The spokesman said: “The council has a duty to consider whether the route could be subsidised but the funding the council has available for subsidised bus services has significantly reduced in recent years, and the great majority of bus services in the borough are now provided on a commercial basis.

“The council has discussed the Saturday operation with Blackburn Private Hire, but the service is not considered commercially viable and can’t be reduced down further in terms of Saturday frequency.”