Sunday 22 November 2015

Lancashire's Cuts Unveiled

Lancashire County Council recently announced its intention to cease ALL subsidy of public bus services that operate under contract to it from April 2016.

No definitive list of services affected appears to have been made public, but here is a list complied by the Bus Users' Group from bus operator publicity and the council's own website.  This may not be the definitive list and bus companies may decide to continue parts of these services without the subsidy. On the other hand, the loss of the subsidised journeys may result in some associated commercial journeys becoming unviable.

Also, any future reductions in service by commercial bus operators will not be replaced by the county council, leaving many marginally-profitable routes permanently at risk.


Buses within Lancaster District operated under contract to Lancashire County Council
(as identified in Stagecoach publicity and County Council website).
Service No.            Route                                                        Journeys under contract
      1                        Silverdale Station – Silverdale Village        Full service
      5                        Overton – Morecambe – Carnforth             Evenings and Sundays
      5B                     Brookhouse – Morecambe                          Full service
      5C                     Carnforth – Crag Bank – Morecambe           Full service
      7                        Marsh – Railway Stn – City Centre – Vale    Evenings and Sundays 
     10                      Lancaster – Freehold – Ridge                      Evenings and Sundays 
     33                      Morecambe – Branksome – Bare (Circular)  Full service
     42                      Lancaster – Garstang – Blackpool             Evenings and Winter Sundays
     51                      Lancaster – Kellets – Carnforth                    Evenings and Sundays    
     51                      Lancaster - Carnforth - Silverdale           Carnforth - Silverdale section
     55                     Lancaster – Hest Bank – Carnforth             Late Evening journeys
    55C                    Carnforth – Crag Bank – Lancaster – RLI       Full service       
      80*                   Lancaster – Hornby – Bentham – Ingleton     Full service    
     81A*                 Lancaster – Arkholme – K/ Lonsdale  at least Evenings and Sundays 
     81B*                 Lancaster –  Wennington – K/Lonsdale at least Evenings and Sundays     
     89/89H             Lancaster – Glasson – Pilling – Knott End            Full service
     146/147           Lancaster – Quernmore – Abbeystead                 Full service

·         *These services are described as being “in partnership” between the Council and the bus operator and the level of subsidised operation is unclear.

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