Metro Chairman Councillor Ryk Downes said he was delighted that Metro’s My bus yellow bus scheme had won the Accessibility Award at the UK Bus Industry Awards.

“As well as tackling peak-time congestion, our My bus yellow bus scheme is opening up bus travel to young people,” he said.

“It has been especially beneficial for pupils at special educational needs schools who, their parents and teachers tell us, have gained extra confidence and independence travelling by My bus.”

Metro was winner of the Claudia Flanders Memorial Award for Accessibility, which is for a project that has improved accessibility for any group of disabled people.

Metro's development of rural service 923 between Otley and Wetherby and Tadcaster, took runner-up spot in the Bus in the Countryside category that rewards schemes which encourage or promote the use of bus services in rural areas.

“At a time when rural services are seen to be under threat, service 923 is a good example of what can be achieved through a constructive partnership,” said Councillor Downes.

“By developing the service that local people want we have seen passenger numbers rise steeply and surveys of passengers have shown satisfaction levels very high, with 98% of passengers rating the service as either ‘very good’ or ‘good’.

Metro's programme of bus stop improvements, which include raised kerbs to provide level boarding also received a commendation in the Infrastructure category of the awards.