Council deputy leader David Foster says that Blackburn with Darwen Council is working hard to ensure a decent bus service in the borough (Letters, December 2).

However, what Councillor Foster doesn’t say is that two years ago he and his Tory / LibDem / For Darwen Party ‘coalition’ running the council voted against the budget proposal put forward by Labour councillors to invest an extra £200,000 in supporting bus services on vulnerable routes.

If this had happened, then it is unlikely that the savage cuts in services to areas like Spring Vale and Cranberry in Darwen, Hoddlesden, and various areas in Blackburn, would have taken place.

Furthermore, Tory councillor Alan Cottam (Regeneration) has made it plain that there is no more money available for subsidising routes. Why not?

Councillor Foster and his allies chose to waste the council's money – spending it on things like creating an extra Executive Councillor post, buying up buildings in Blackburn Town Centre and other pet schemes of the ‘coalition’.

This money could have been spent on subsidising buses, but the Tory / Lib-Dem / For Darwen Party councillors in charge chose not to do this.

Councillor Foster also mentions the so-called improvements in the community transport service.

This service used to be free, but the coalition imposed a charge of £2 for a return journey – even for disabled people entitled to free bus passes. I was at the most recent Executive Board Meeting (Councillor Foster was present) where the current booking system was described as a “shambles” by two of Councillor Foster’s ‘coalition’ colleagues!

The service has lost around 20% of its service users. How is that an improvement?

The ‘coalition’ running the council do not make public transport a priority – they could be doing so much more within their limited powers, but choose not too.

Dave Smith, Darwen Town Councillor.