A ROW has blown up over a hike in fares on a bus service which covers one of the remotest routes in East Lancashire.

Passengers who use the service, which links Rawtenstall and Blackburn, have drawn up a petition over the increases. The route, which goes over the moorland Grane Road, is one of the few public transport links between the towns.

The passengers have written to Darwen and Rossendale MP Janet Anderson who has taken up the case on their behalf.

And county council bosses have promised to take a close look at the problem of rural transport links.

The bus users are fuming because a special weekly ticket which cost £9 has been stopped - almost doubling the cost of travel for some passengers. Mrs Anderson said: "The price increases are not encouraging people to use the service and hindering the regular users who depend on it for their livelihoods."

Lancashire County Council's chief executive, Gordon Johnson, has looked into the matter and revealed there is a major review of rural bus services across the county.

More than £2 million will be invested in services over the next three years and surveys will be carried out. Mr Johnson has also revealed extra services will be running between Blackburn and Rawtenstall in the evenings.

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