New company provides a service boost (From Wharfedale Observer)

New company provides a service boost

8:30am Thursday 11th June 2009

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ONLY a few weeks ago the future for anyone who relies on public transport to travel between Otley and Harrogate or Bradford looked pretty bleak.

Bus company First’s announcement that it would be axing the 653 service next month looked similarly alarming for passengers in Pool, Guiseley and Menston, which are all stops along the way.

So we are delighted to report that the passenger transport authority, Metro, has found a new company willing to not only take on, but in some areas, expand the service.

Harrogate Coach Travel Service obviously disagrees with First’s belief that the route is not viable, and so passengers – at least between Harrogate and Otley – will actually see a more frequent, hourly service once the new firm takes over next month. It will also introduce, every other hour, a new service to Ilkley via Burley.

True, there will still be a problem for those wanting to travel directly to Bradford as the replacement service will only go as far as Guiseley, but there could be ways around that, including linking up to the 737 service. For now, though, let us not look a gift horse in the mouth.

Instead of most passengers suddenly finding their means of getting to work, shops or hospitals disappearing, there will be a continued and, in many ways, improved service.

That is simply unexpected good news that we are very happy to report.

At the same time Metro has collated statistics that show the 653 had more than 180,000 passenger journeys over the past year. That would seem to bode well for the new operator. It also makes First’s decision to scrap the service due, in part, to “low passenger numbers” seem distinctly odd.

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