22 September 2009

Metro held two public meetings in Greetland and Sowerby Bridge to discuss proposed changes to local bus services from January 2010.

Share your views

There is still time to share your views on the bus services review. Below is an outline of the proposals and maps showing existing and proposed routes.

If you'd like to send your views on this, please email:
customerfeedback@wypte.gov.uk

Outline of the South Calderdale bus service proposals (pdf, 31k)

Maps showing existing and proposed routes for the Calderdale bus services review (pdf, 1.69mb)

Areas affected

• Luddenden Foot, Kershaw, Midgley, Booth;
• Sowerby, Sowerby Bridge;
• Ripponden, Rishworth, Soyland, Mill Bank;
• Barkisland, Norland, Greetland;
• Stainland, Holywell Green, West Vale, Elland;
• Copley, Skircoat Green, Savile Park.

Services that are likely to be affected

• 573, 574, 575 Luddenden Area
• 531, 832 Copley/ Skircoat Green/ Savile Park Area
• 577, 578, 579 Sowerby Area
• 343, 556, 557, 559 Barkisland, Greetland Area
• 537, 538, 539 Stainland Hollywell Green Area.

Unsustainable cost

Explaining the proposals, Metro's Calderdale District Spokesperson Cllr Keith Watson said, "When, earlier in 2009, Metro stepped in to support the services threatened by First's planned cuts in rural south Calderdale, in the short term, it added a further £0.4m to the £1.2 million per annum we were already spending supporting bus services in the area.

"This cost is unsustainable in the long-term, particularly in the current economic environment."

"The proposals are based upon a review we have carried out on the network and their aim is to maintain hourly bus services to those communities which have bus services at present, while at the same time ensuring the local network is as efficient and cost-effective as possible.

"We also want to encourage as many bus companies as possible to tender to run the services to help manage the costs."

The overall impact of the proposals will be that all significant communities retain an hourly bus service within a 400m (10 minute) walk and that routes will be simpler with fewer service numbers.

New links to Infirmary

"Some areas will have a reduction in frequency and some passengers may find journey times to Halifax are longer," continued Cllr Watson. "However in looking again at the network, we have been able to respond to local people's requests to provide new links to Calderale Royal Infirmary from the Ripponden area, and to link Greetland and Barkisland with Brighouse.