A RURAL bus scheme which cost more than half a million pounds to set up to improve public transport in rural areas has been axed.

The much vaunted Carnforth Connect services linking Lan-caster and Arnside with Carnforth and Milnthorpe are to be stopped because Lanc-ashire County Council says it no longer has the funds to support them.

The service running from Carnforth via the Yealands to Beetham and Milnthorpe will stop from Saturday, October 8.

But, before then, the Sunday service from Lancaster via Carnforth to the Yealands, Silverdale and Arnside will be axed from September 18.

County Cllr Tony Martin, cabinet member for sustain-able development, says: "It is sad and unfortunate that these services, which have been well supported by local users, have to be withdrawn.

"Since government funding ceased, the county council has subsidised the services to try and make them self sufficient but this has not proved possible.

"Now we no longer have the funds to give the services any further support as they do not meet the criteria for provision of non-commercial bus services."

The Carnforth Connect project was introduced following a successful bid to the Government for £660,500. The award was for a three-year period finishing in March 2005 and since then the costs have been met by the county council's rural bus subsidy grant.