Burnley vs Bus: Why Lancashire is Choosing Taxis

The State of Buses in East Lancashire

Let's not pretend everything's fine. Bus services across Burnley, Nelson, Colne, Accrington, and Blackburn have been stripped back over the past decade. Routes have been cut, frequencies reduced, and if you need to travel after 7pm or on a Sunday? Good luck.

The X43 — the main Burnley to Manchester service — is decent during the day. The B1 and B2 cover Burnley to Blackburn. Route 1 runs between Burnley, Nelson, and Colne. But look at the timetable for any of these after early evening, and the gaps start to show.

The Real Comparison: Bus vs Taxi

Let's compare like for like on a few common journeys.

Burnley to Nelson

	Bus	Taxi
Route	Route 1 via Brierfield	Direct, door to door
Time	15-25 minutes (depending on stops)	Around 10 minutes
Evening service	Last bus around 11pm, reduced frequency	Available 24 hours
Sunday	Hourly at best	Available 24 hours
Cost (1 person)	~£2.50 single	From around £8-12
Cost split 3 ways	~£2.50 each	From around £3-4 each

Read that last row again. Three people sharing a taxi from Burnley to Nelson costs about the same per person as the bus — and you're going door to door in half the time.

Burnley to Accrington

	Bus	Taxi
Route	B1/B2 via several stops	Direct, M65 or A56
Time	30-45 minutes	Around 15 minutes
Evening service	Very limited after 8pm	Available 24 hours
Cost (1 person)	~£3.00 single	From around £12-16
Cost split 4 ways	~£3.00 each	From around £3-4 each

Four mates heading to Accrington? The taxi is the same price per head, takes half the time, and picks you up from your front door.

Burnley to Blackburn

	Bus	Taxi
Route	B1/B2, multiple stops	Direct via M65
Time	40-55 minutes	Around 20 minutes
Evening service	Limited after 7pm	Available 24 hours
Cost (1 person)	~£3.50 single	From around £15-20
Cost split 4 ways	~£3.50 each	From around £4-5 each

The Evening and Weekend Problem

This is where the bus network properly falls apart. Need to get from Colne to Burnley after 10pm on a Saturday? There might be one bus — if it turns up. Need to get from Padiham to Nelson on a Sunday morning? You're waiting.

We run a 24 hour taxi service across Lancashire. No timetable, no "sorry, this service is not running today." Open the app, book, and your driver's on the way.

The Routes Buses Don't Cover

Buses run on fixed routes. That's fine if you happen to live on one. But Lancashire is full of villages, estates, and rural areas that are either a long walk from a bus stop or simply not served at all.

Try getting a bus from Fence to Hapton. Or Worsthorne to Barrowford. Or anywhere in the Ribble Valley to anywhere in Pendle after dark. These aren't obscure locations — thousands of people live there. They just don't have a bus.

Check all the areas we cover — over 130 locations across Lancashire, including the ones the bus companies forgot about.

When the Bus Does Make Sense

We're not saying never get the bus. If you're a solo traveller on a main route during the daytime, the bus is often the cheapest option. The X43 into Manchester for a day out? Perfectly fine. The train from Burnley Manchester Road to Victoria? Great.

But the moment you're travelling:

• In a group of 2+ — the taxi is often the same price per head
• After 7pm — buses thin out dramatically
• On a Sunday or bank holiday — reduced or no service
• To/from a village or side street — buses don't go there
• With luggage, a wheelchair, or a pet — not practical on a bus
• To the airport at 4am — obviously
• When you need to work — you can't take phone calls, reply to emails, or prep for a meeting on a packed bus. In a taxi, the back seat is your office. Even solo, the productivity alone can justify the fare

...then a taxi isn't a luxury. It's the practical choice. And honestly? Even for a solo trip, the difference between a £2.50 bus fare and an £8 taxi is often less than a coffee — for a door-to-door service that saves you 15 minutes, keeps you dry, and lets you get on with your day.

The Bottom Line

A taxi from Burnley, Nelson, Colne, or Accrington isn't the expensive option people assume. Split between two, three, or four passengers, it's competitive with the bus — and you get door-to-door, on-demand, 24-hour service with live tracking and a fixed fare.

No standing in the rain. No wondering if the bus will show. No walking half a mile to the nearest stop.

Compare for yourself. Download the Ride Taxis app and get an instant quote for your regular journey. You might be surprised.

For businesses making regular trips, our corporate accounts offer simplified billing and priority booking.