People-power saves bus route

From the archive, first published Thursday 7th Dec 2006.

A threatened bus service has been saved from the axe after a "proud" victory for people power.

Delighted campaigners, who have been fighting to save the 846 Shipley to Buttershaw route, have been told the service will continue to run for the foreseeable future.

The service will be unchanged during the day, although bus company First is still planning to axe some of the poorly-used early morning and evening services.

There might also be an adjustment to the route in the High Ash area of Wrose, where bus drivers say parked cars are causing an obstruction.

In September, First said it was looking at the feasibility of the route because it was not making enough money, sparking an outcry from passengers, many of whom are elderly and regard the 846 as a "lifeline" service.

A petition containing hundreds of names was drawn up by passengers and their campaign was highlighted by a series of stories in the Telegraph & Argus.

After months of negotiations and protests, it has been announced that the service has now been safeguarded.

Chief petitioner Ronald Wright, of Bedale Drive, Buttershaw, said: "We have won and we are very proud. The decision has come as a pleasant shock because we were frightened we were going to lose the service all together."

Mr Wright pledged to fight on to save the early morning and evening services as well, and to prevent the route around Wrose being changed.

"Those changes will inconvenience people," he said.

Councillor Ralph Berry said he felt great relief and pride at the "major climbdown".

He said: "There can be no doubt that letters, news coverage in the T&A, petitions and motions all played their part in making Metro and First bus revisit the plans.

"They accepted that a major campaign had hit home and they had to look seriously at the issues, and to their credit solutions have been brought forward."

Betty Darrington, of Bodmin Road, Wrose, said she feared the adjustments to the route in Wrose would make it difficult for elderly people in the area to access the service because they would have to walk further to get on.

Mrs Darrington, 76, said: "It's great news that the service is going to continue running, but it will defeat the object for us if it no longer comes onto the estate."

Bradford Councillor Stanley King, chairman of the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority, said: "It's good news this service has been safeguarded for the foreseeable future.

"It has involved a lot of intricate negotiations between Metro and First, and those negotiations have not always been easy."

Coun King said a document unveiled this week outlines the planned rearrangement of mini-bus services in the Bradford and Shipley area to make sure they were serving the people who wanted to be served.

"When the public see it, I hope they will accept it as a reasonable compromise," he said.

e-mail: will.kilner@bradford.newsquest.co.uk