Almost 54,000 people in West Yorkshire took advantage of Metro-funded Boxing Day services in 2009, an increase of 10% over the previous year.

Metro introduced Boxing Day bus services to Leeds, Huddersfield and parts of Bradford and Wakefield in 2007, and they have proven very popular, thanks to fixed fares, all-day tickets and free travel for children accompanied with adults.

Boxing Day services were used by 53,701 passengers in 2009, compared with 49,013 passengers in 2008 and 37,332 passengers in 2007.

"Metro subsidises Boxing Day services, because we can see how vital they are to get people to shops and leisure facilities and to make hospital visits," said Metro Chairman Cllr Ryk Downes. "It's good to see so many people using them."

"By setting sensible fares, allowing MetroCards and English National Concessionary Passes to be used and running to places people need and want to go to, Metro has created a set of services that have increased in popularity every year.

"Planning now begins for services in 2010, and we will talk with Town and City Centre managers to determine the level of shopping activity expected on Boxing Day, which this year will be a Sunday."

He continued, "While the cost of Boxing Day services to Metro has decreased over the past three years, they still draw on Tendered Service funding that could be used to provide services elsewhere in West Yorkshire during the rest of the year.

"With Metro having to look at how it can reduce its Tendered Services budget, I don't think it is unreasonable for us to expect the major shopping and leisure traders, who are benefiting from extra Boxing Day customers, and the bus companies who are being paid to run the services, to help Metro meet the cost of the services and maybe even expand them this year.

"Our Marketing team will be contacting those companies to illustrate the major benefits these services are providing them, and to form partnerships that can make Boxing Day buses in West Yorkshire an even bigger success."