Bouncers on the buses

And the councillor behind the £3,000 trial scheme, run by Blackburn with Darwen Council and Blackburn Transport, today urged revellers to 'use it or lose it.'

Three buses a night will travel to Accrington and Darwen throughout December under the project, believed to be the first of its kind in the country.

The buses will run from Blackburn town centre on the 346 service at midnight, 1am and 2am.

The bouncers will be taken from the existing list of licensed door staff in the town and will be paid for by the council and the bus company.

They will carry mobile phones and radios to call for back-up if it is needed.

Bosses at Blackburn Transport only agreed to allow their drivers out on the road if registered doormen also travelled on board following attacks on buses.

It is hoped the new scheme will be extended into next year if it is a hit withrevellers, providing them with a safe and cheap way of getting home after a night out.

Jeanette Hicks, principal licensing officer at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said the scheme should also bring an end to private hire cabs touring the town centre touting for trade.

She said: "We only have 64 licensed hackney carriages and there is a problem with private hire vehicles plying for trade at night in the town centre. "If people haven't booked the cabs properly, the insurance on the car is invalid. If an accident happens, the passengers aren't insured."

Coun Maureen Bateson, executive member for consumer affairs and citizen rights, said: "If people don't use it, we won't be able to justify carrying it on in the new year.

"We think it will be popular, especially at this time of year, because of the inclement weather.

"It is a way of making sure people have a cheap and affordable way of getting home after a night out. It is another effort to make the town centre safer for people."

Michael Moreton, managing director of Blackburn Transport, said two buses operating along established routes to Accrington and Darwen would be used. He said: "It is being funded by the council and ourselves and we do hope it will work.

"But we wanted to make sure people, including our drivers, are safe so we asked for registered doormen to be used on the buses.

"We are due to meet with the council tomorrow to finalise the scheme and I hope it will be a success."

Margo Carmichael-Grimshaw, who owns several pubs and clubs in the town centre, said: "I think it is a good idea but it might take people home too early.

"The problem comes between 2am and 3am when the nightclubs spill out.

"Hopefully, the pilot will be a success and the times can be reviewed."

Hugh Dougherty, a registered doorman said: "We have had letters from the council about it and it is a good idea.

"It is important we have access to back-up though, in case anything goes wrong."

A spokesman for the Local Government Association said it was the first time they had heard of a council paying for doorstaff to man buses.

First Leisure, which runs Utopia nightclub in Blackburn, ferry clubbers from Preston and other towns to Blackburn on coaches manned by doorstaff, but it is only for people going to the Lord Square venue.

Other towns and cities have established late-night bus services. In Manchester, police often ride the Metro system at night, while First North Western also uses security guards on certain train services.