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Cabinet to consider transport info centres proposal

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Lancashire County Council’s cabinet is to decide whether to suspend the closure of four transport information centres to allow time to explore approaches from third parties interested in taking them over.

A report published today as part of the agenda for next week’s cabinet meeting on Thursday 9 August, outlines the results of public consultation on proposals to close the centres.

The council’s budget agreed earlier this year included proposals to close the facilities at Preston Bus Station, Nelson Interchange, Clitheroe Interchange and Carnforth Railway Station to contribute to savings seeking to avoid a forecast funding gap of £144m by 2021/22.

As part of 877 responses to the consultation, the council has received a number of proposals which offer the possibility of allowing the centres to continue while still delivering savings, along with expressions of interest to completely take over management of the offices.

The report asks councillors to consider keeping the centres open to give officers time to investigate the suggested alternative service models for one or more of the information centres, and explore the expressions of interest in more detail.

County Councillor Keith Iddon, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “I’m grateful that so many people have taken the time to respond to the consultation and let us know how they would be affected if the transport information centres were closed.

“The council is in a position where it needs to make substantial budget savings, however I will ask cabinet to consider very carefully the option of keeping them open while we explore the expressions of interest we’ve received in taking over their management.”

The public consultation ran for eight weeks from 5 March to 29 April 2018.

The saving agreed by Full Council in February 2018 to be delivered by closing the centres was £156,000. The report also sets out an option to close the centres in order to deliver the agreed savings in 2019/20.

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