Rural bus services to be cut

The cuts have been approved despite the fact the subsidies paid for four of the five services are deemed acceptable by Lancashire County Council's own standards.

But the county council insists they are no longer viable.

The 209 Ribble Valley evening minibus from Clitheroe to Chatburn, Grindleton, Waddington, West Bradford and Low Moor will stop operating two evenings a week to save £10,000 a year.

Current subsidy per passenger is £6.18, below the acceptable Government target of £10 per passenger for rural services.

The 210 service, which runs five journeys on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from Clitheroe to Pendleton, Wiswell, Hurst Green, Ribchester and Longridge, will axed one night a week, saving £5,000.

It costs £6.78 in subsidy per passenger - on an average night, it will carry just two passengers per journey.

The 280 service, a Preston to Clitheroe to Chatburn circular, runs between Preston, Clitheroe, Waddington, West Bradford, Chatburn and Grindleton on Sundays and bank holidays.

It will have four of its seven services removed, saving £4,000 a year. Average passenger subsidy is £4.68.

Two off-peak return journeys will be axed from the 122 Chorley-Withnell-Brinscall-Brindle-Preston service, which runs up to six return journeys every weekday. That will save £5,000 a year, with each passenger journey currently costing £5.77.

The 107 Chorley-Walmer Bridge service, will be merged with another service to save £90,000 a year. Every passenger journey costs the county council £10.97.

Tory MP for the Ribble Valley, Nigel Evans, said: "These cuts will affect people with the poorest services. These links are vital, and aren't underperforming by the county's own standards."

But a Lancashire County Council spokesman said: "A maximum of £10 subsidy per passenger has generally been applied. Even though some of these contracts fall below this level, their performance remains poor and to meet budget constraints they no longer remain viable."