RESIDENTS in the Barnfield area of Accrington could soon benefit from an extended bus service which will give them back their freedom.

Currently the 9a and 9c bus routes which service the top of Sandy Lane and Wensley Drive stop at 3.30pm, which means people in that area without access to other transport are restricted to their homes.

Coun Tony Dobson said: "I drive around that area twice weekly to talk to the residents and the bus service is one of the biggest problems. It is causing a lot of concern.

"Stagecoach, as it was then, did put on an extended route for a month but nobody used it because nobody actually knew about it.

"Many of the residents are elderly people living in the bungalows there and have no transport of their own.

"They have to be home by 3pm as that is the last bus service. So it is very important for a lot of those residents to extend this service as they feel that they have to rush around when they are in town so that they can get back. And in the evenings they are trapped in their homes."

Councillor Dobson has spoken with Lancashire United, who took over from Stagecoach in April, about extending the service in the near future and this is currently being discussed.

Paul Wainwright, operations manager for Lancashire United, said: "We are looking into this proposal but have not made any firm decisions.

"The matter was discussed before the take-over but was put on hold and is now being looked at in terms of what we can do, with what vehicles and how feasible it would be.

"But if we do try to do this the residents will need to use the service in order to keep it going."