BUS giant Stagecoach has been given the green light to buy half of Burnley and Pendle Transport after a stormy four-hour marathon debate.

But the move was slammed by Councillor Kath Reade, leader of Burnley Council, who blasted Pendle Liberals as irresponsible.

"If the sale is ratified at a full meeting of Pendle Council next Wednesday we will take legal advice and advice from our chief executive on what to do next." she said.

"We will not be talking to anybody until then."

The brakes were put on a last-minute attempt to look further at a rival bid by Greater Manchester Buses North.

Pendle's Liberal-run administration will get £2 million from the sale, with a further £850,000 to come if Labour members of Burnley Council agree to sell their half share.

The alternative, the Liberals argued, would be to see B&P run off the road by predators, with the loss of many jobs.

Union officials warned that up to 78 management and engineering jobs at B&P's Queensgate depot could be axed. Pendle Council leader Alan Davies was hissed by around 40 people at Nelson Town Hall.

TGWU branch secretary Peter Brindle said Stagecoach's joint boss Brian Souter had met union repres- entatives.

"He said there were no guarantees for office, management and garage staff," he said. "It's not going to be good for the local economy if we have 70 people on the dole."

AEU official Mike Cooney warned: "The assurances you get from Stagecoach aren't worth the paper they're written on."

One of the bids was a joint offer between B&P staff and management and Preston Transport Holdings.

The Pendle Liberals were accused of ignoring public opinion, including a 13,000 name petition.

Pendle Labour leader Susan Nike stormed: "You've failed to listen to the public, you've failed to listen to those people who will be employed, you've failed to listen to those who will be out of work. It's a disgrace."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.