BUS services in Hyndburn have been plunged into chaos following the resignation of 10 Accrington-based drivers.

Stagecoach Ribble has been flooded with complaints about passengers, including school children, left stranded by missed services, buses running late, or drivers on unfamiliar routes missing stops.

The bus company today apologised, blaming the disruption on a severe shortage of drivers, but says the situation will improve next week when new recruits will be on the road.

The staffing crisis coincides with the closure of the former Hyndburn Transport depot in Accrington almost two weeks ago. In the week running up to the closure the 10 drivers resigned rather than transfer to depots in Blackburn and Burnley.

At Green Haworth primary school, pupils were twice left stranded at the end of the school day when the bus sailed past without stopping. Parents and staff rallied round to ferry the youngsters home.

Parent Geoff Bury, of Fern Gore, Accrington, said: "They are sticking lads on from Burnley that have never done the routes before and it's a complete botch-up."

At Church, passengers including an elderly lady laden with shopping, had to walk half a mile home when their driver missed the turning up to Church Kirk. Disabled Lee Collard, 56, of Church Street, said: "The one before ours didn't run. It's going downhill fast."

Winnie Hogan, secretary of Oswaldtwistle Civic Society, resorted to a taxi to keep an appointment when a Merlin Drive bus did not show at Accrington bus station. She said: "The service used to run like clockwork. Now Stagecoach appear to be running to a mystery timetable."

Stanley Oakes, of Spring Street, Accrington, said: "If Stagecoach are running a public service then they should have enough resources to provide that service."

Richard Cranmer Stagecoach Ribble operations manager at Blackburn, said: "We are doing our best to operate everything as far as we can."

Extra training instructors had been brought in at the beginning of April and another 12 drivers were going through training school.

He said: "We had prepared ourselves for some resignations, but had not prepared for as many as came about.

"I have every confidence things will improve considerably towards the middle of next week when we have extra people through the training school and ready to go on the road."

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