Bus service link from Wharfedale to Leeds is lost amid changes (From Wharfedale Observer)

Bus service link from Wharfedale to Leeds is lost amid changes

7:19pm Wednesday 31st October 2007 in Local news By Newsdesk

PASSENGERS look set to lose a bus service linking Ilkley, Burley-in-Wharfedale and Leeds this month, but new Sunday buses will run to Bradford.

Bus operator First is to stop running its Service 33 buses to Burley and Ilkley once the A6038 road reopens between Otley and Menston - scheduled for around November 11.

The 33 currently runs on evenings and weekends, linking Ilkley, Burley and Menston with Guiseley, Rawdon Horsforth, and Kirkstall, as well as Leeds city centre. The loss of the service means Ilkley and Burley will no longer have a direct link with Horsforth and Kirkstall.

It will leave the Ilkley area with only one Leeds bus, the X84 service, also operated by First Leeds. The 33 will in future angs and Sundays, replacing the 967 minibus link between Menston Station and Otley bus station.

Public transport bosses say the Sunday 33 service between Ilkley and Guiseley will be covered in part by the new service 650, which will run to and from Bradford. The 650 is also being promoted as a replacement for withdrawn service 97 between Bradford and Guiseley.

It will run hourly during daytime on Sundays, also calling at Shipley. Ilkley is currently without any daytime bus services to Bradford.

The service 963, which connects Ilkley, Burley and Menston with Bradford, will continue to run every evening. A new timetable is also expected on this service, and after the A6039 re-opens, it will resume its original route via Otley.

West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, Metro, says the provision date for the changes is November 11, depending on when the A6038 re-opens.

For bus time information, call Metroline on (0113) 2457676, or visit the Metro website at (www.wymetro.com).