Services to Bradford Royal Infirmary from Shipley are set to improve early in 2010.

Metro's Tendered Services Working Group has agreed changes to bus services 619 and 629 which will secure the continuation of the service between Shipley and the Hospital and will introduce buses running on Sundays and into the early evening on Monday to Saturday on a trial basis.

From Sunday 24 January 2010, service 629 will run from Shipley Crag Lane to Bingley via Heaton, the Infirmary, Sandy Lane and Cottingley. The service will be operated by Halifax Joint Committee who will provide low-floor, easy-access buses, which will be better for elderly passengers or those with young children.

It will operate between Shipley and the Infirmary until 1920 Monday to Saturday and, between 10am and 5pm on Sundays.

Service 619 will run between Bradford Interchange and the Infirmary and continue to be operated by First.

The operation of service 629 via Sandy Lane will restore links to the health centre in Haworth Road for people in this area which were lost following service changes in 2008.

"Metro is funding these new journeys on a trial basis in response to requests from residents in and around Shipley for an extension of the service later in the day and on Sundays," said Cllr Anne Hawkesworth, Metro's District Spokesperson for Bradford. "In addition these new journeys will be invaluable to people who work at the hospital and visitors.

"However, these evening and Sunday extensions are only funded until October 2010, so my advice to those people who requested the extra journeys is to 'use them or lose them'," she warned.

Service 629 provides direct bus access to Bradford Royal Infirmary from Shipley and Bingley. Without it, people would need to travel via Bradford City Centre. The service is also the only link between Cottingley and Bingley, and between Heaton and Shipley. The route has been designed to provide links to local health facilities as well as to the Infirmary.