A BATTLE of the buses is in store with the launch of a new budget line offering trips from Burnley and Pendle to London from just £1.

Discount operator Megabus has begun to run three services a day from stops in Burnley, Nelson and Colne to London’s St Pancras station.

Under a combined coach and rail service, the buses connect with East Midlands Parkway station, in Nottinghamshire, to complete the journey to St Pancras by rail.

The move, under their new ‘Megabus Plus’ venture, puts the firm in competition with National Express, which has run services from Colne, Nelson and Burnley, through East Lancashire, to the capital for a number of years.

Usually the cost of the Megabus service would be £12 to London and £9 to return, though some £1 tickets will be made available, depending on booking times.

The trip takes roughly between six and seven hours, while National Express coach services usually take between seven and eight hours.

A rail journey to London from Burnley and Pendle, via Preston, has a journey time of between three and four hours.

Brian Souter, chief executive of Stagecoach, the group behind the new arrival, said: “Our budget services are continuing to attract more and more people looking for an affordable, reliable and greener travel alternative.

“This new timetable will allow even more people, in even more places to access our fast, comfortable services for as little as £1 and help make their money go further.”

The Burnley and Nelson stops are at the towns’ respective bus stations and Colne’s is opposite the Market Street precinct.