Remote Dales bus service to continue after trial success

A bus service which provides a remote Dales community with vital transport links to a nearby town will continue until the end of the year following the major success of a pilot scheme.

Two new services were introduced on Friday and Saturday evenings between Pateley Bridge and Harrogate last October.

The move has proved so popular with residents, Transdev and the Dales Intergrated Transport Alliance (DITA), which are behind the trial, have announced the service will continue until October.

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If passenger numbers continue to rise, the service is expected to continue running in 2013.

Nigel Eggleton, marketing director of Transdev, said: “We’re delighted to continue operation of these new weekend evening services for the benefit of those living in or travelling to Nidderdale. They build on the continuing success of our Harrogate to Pateley Bridge route and will further improve the range of travel opportunities now used by many North Yorkshire residents.”

DITA chairman Helen Flynn said she hoped the service would become permanent.

“Hopefully if residents continue to support the service it will become sustainable long term and provide an alternative to the private car. It is important to run the pilot for a whole year, in order that users can come to rely on the service and build confidence in it.”

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The last journey in each direction will now run 10 minutes later, following comments and suggestions from residents.

Community-led organisation DITA is also seeking to establish a transport hub in Pateley Bridge, which will be one of eight proposed across North Yorkshire.