A BUS company has been fined and banned from operating any extra services because of concerns about an injured pedestrian and late and early services.

Pilkington's of Accrington were ordered to repay 20 per cent of their fuel duty rebate grant and banned from running more than their present 15 buses for a year, at a disciplinary inquiry in Leeds.

Alan Pilkington, partner, called the decision unfair. He said the fine was still being calculated, but was likely to be more than £8,500.

He said: "It's depressing and disheartening for us all. We are trying our best to please the public but we are a small firm and they just want us out."

The inquiry heard that nurse Joann Farmer, of Blackburn Road, Accrington, had been hit by a bus and slightly injured while she stood on the pavement last November and the driver had not stopped. Miss Farmer said that when she called the company to complain, partner Raymond Pilkington had told her it was her own fault if she couldn't see a bus coming. Raymond Pilkington denied being rude to her, but the Deputy Commissioner Brian Horner, said: "If someone at the company had been a bit more caring and concerned that would perhaps have been the end of the matter."

When the Blackburn Road company's services were monitored, 29 per cent were late or didn't run at all and some were up to 18 minutes early.

Raymond Pilkington claimed the problems were due to congestion at Accrington bus station, roadworks, a supermarket construction and residents on new routes parking their cars to block the buses.

After the inquiry, Alan Pilkington said bus drivers were sometimes forced to set off early to get in the queue for stands at Accrington bus station. He said the bus station's redesign last year meant it was much smaller.

He said: "It doesn't seem to have been designed with buses in mind. It's a shambles and it's behind a lot of our problems."

He said the company planned to appeal against the decision.

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