Full list of Lancaster district bus cuts revealed

Bus campaigners have questioned the legal basis of plans to cut subsidised services in the Lancaster district.
The 5b bus in CatonThe 5b bus in Caton
The 5b bus in Caton

Lancashire County Council plan to cut all subsidised services from April 2016, saving £7.5m.

The cuts would leave some rural areas completely devoid of public transport although bus operator Stagecoach said it would review whether some of the routes could be commercially viable in the future.

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Jim Davies, chairman of Lancaster Bus Users’ Group said: “Many people will be unaware of the scope and scale of the cuts and the extent to which their services are threatened.

“The county is under a legal obligation to consider social need in providing public transport and to consult with affected groups before implementing any changes to the supported bus network.

“The council should produce evidence to show that these requirements have been met.”

Lancashire County Council said it would carry out a full public consultation if a decision to cut bus subsidies are agreed at a council

meeting today, Thursday November 26.

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The group has also criticised plans to create a £3m “Parish Bus Initiative”, essentially asking communities to run their own services with the offer of a vehicle and help to set it up.

Mr Davies said: “With the best will in the world, volunteers cannot provide the level of bus service that is so vital to maintaining local communities.

“The county council appears to be offering to provide interested parties with free minibuses, but the problem will not be a shortage of buses – it will be a shortage of funding to operate them.

“The money being set aside for volunteer-based schemes would be far better spent 
on maintaining even a reduced level of ordinary bus service to the communities affected”.

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The group would like to hear from anyone who may be affected by the cuts and anyone else with an 
interest in keeping services running.

It can be contacted via email at [email protected] or via the Lancaster Bus Users’ Group Facebook page.

Full list of buses facing cuts in the Lancaster district:

5 Carnforth - Morecambe - Heysham - Overton (Monday to Saturday Evenings & Sundays)

42 Lancaster - Garstang - Poulton - Blackpool (Monday to Saturday Evenings)

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51 Carnforth - Warton - Silverdale, 5B Brookhouse - Morecambe, 5C Carnforth - Morecambe, 55C Carnforth - Lancaster (Daily, Daytime & Evenings)

55 Lancaster - Carnforth (Monday to Saturday Evenings & Sundays)

81A, 81B Lancaster - Hornby - Kirkby Lonsdale (Monday to Saturday Evenings & Sundays)

1 Silverdale Shuttle Monday to Saturday Daytime

7 Lancaster - Vale / Lancaster - Marsh, 10 Lancaster - Ridge (Monday to Saturday Evenings & Sundays)

33 Morecambe - Bare Circular (Monday to Saturday Daytime)

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86, 89, 89H Fleetwood - Cleveleys - Knott End, Knott End - Pilling - Glasson Dock - Lancaster (Daily Daytime & Evenings)

81A, 81B (Lancaster) - Hornby - Arkholme/Melling - Kirkby Lonsdale (Monday to Saturday Daytime)

40 Morecambe - Lancaster - Garstang - Preston (Daily Odd Journeys)