Passenger outcry saves bus services

Plans to axe early services and start running a bus from 7.50 am – beginning today – upset villagers.

A Metro spokesman said: “Metro, working with operator Centrebus, has secured the re-introduction of journeys from Southowram to Halifax at 0639 and 0710 from tomorrow running as service 572.”

Resident Richard Walsh, 48, of Fairfax Avenue, Southowram, was one of many who complained to Metro over the changes.

“The 7.10am service is always packed,” he said. “You could usually get a seat but it’s quite full.

“I’m happy that services have been replaced because my eldest son is a pupil at North Halifax Grammar School, and they start at 8.20am.”

Metro blamed a low uptake on the axing of services but Mr Walsh said he had been told the services were wrongly axed in new timetables. “But at least it has been sorted and it is nice to know that they do listen,” he said.

Deputy leader of Calderdale Council, Tim Swift, (Lab, Town), said people who relied on public transport for getting to work or college would have struggled.

He said: “I am delighted that Metro has seen sense over this one. Fortunately Metro are to rescind plans to get rid of two out of three early morning services which would have otherwise been a big blow indeed to people trying to get into work in Halifax and for some school children. These were very heavily used services.

Metro chairman, senior Bradford councillor, Chris Greaves speaking at a conference in Bermuda: “This is the correct decision and I would urge commercial operators to look at the whole picture in future before making these kinds of decisions. Thank God, Metro were able to step in and save the day. It’s a good job the police don’t have the same approach to catching criminals.”