A FORMER mayor of Hyndburn has branded the Clayton-le-Moors bus service a substandard disgrace since the service was privatised last summer.

Cathleen Thom, a Labour councillor for 16 years and mayor in 1992, has vowed to campaign for an improvement in the service no matter what it takes.

Mrs Thom retired as ward councillor in 1998 but is determined to continue fighting for local residents on the matter.

She said: "Adolf Hitler didn't stop them running buses to the Fortes Arms. It was one of the most successful services in this country. Now it is a substandard disgrace.

"There are more than 500 dwellings in the Oakenshaw, Clayton-le-Moors, but only one bus stop, outside the Fortes Arms pub in Sparth Road.

"Many people here are on low wages, are one parent families or are elderly people living in Stopford Court or Willow Close, so we do need a decent bus service in the area."

Mrs Thom, of Willow Close herself, said that when Stagecoach ran the buses there were four buses every hour going straight into Accrington, but the service, now run by Lancashire United, has been reduced to one an hour and that does not go straight into Accrington.

She said the replacement service picks up in Clayton-le-Moors then goes around two estates in Church and on to the Asda carpark before travelling into Accrington, which adds an extra 15 minutes to the journey.

After complaints were made by residents, Accrington-based M and M Coaches put on another service, but Mrs Thom said that the earliest bus available was 8.30am and the last one back from Accrington was at 5.20pm.

She added that people were also wasting money buying single tickets because they could not be certain which service would be bringing them back.

Mrs Thom has held meetings with representatives from Lancashire County Council and Lancashire United, as well as handing in a petition signed by more than 700 people, but said nothing was being done.

She added: "I won't let this rest and will take it to Minister for Transport Stephen Byers if I have to."

Graham Mitchell, group communications manager for Lancashire United Travel, said: "This is an ongoing situation. We know there is a demand for a service on Sparth Road but new-style, bigger buses are having problems negotiating some of the junctions.

"We are talking with Lancashire County Council and have their support to ease the traffic problems on that corner and are in negotiations with Hyndburn Borough Council, who we understand would have to carry out the work.

"We are also actively looking at some of the buses on the Hyndburn Circular route, which pass by every 10 minutes, diverting up Sparth Road."