BUS company bosses have been warned against cutting services and raising fares by the head of West Yorkshire’s public transport authority.

Menston resident and chairman of West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority (Metro), Councillor Chris Greaves, has warned against ‘cutting down on products and increasing the price of the products’.

Bradford Council member Coun Greaves (Con, Wharfedale) was speaking after it was revealed that some bus services in Wharfedale and Aireborough are being axed later this month.

Although he says the cuts to local services are down to lower passenger numbers, he fears bus companies nationally are intending to looking at a ‘cut in mileage’.

He is anticipating that bus companies will put up fares again soon – despite increases on some services of up to ten per cent last summer. Yet deflation could actually see train fares fall, he says. Trains offer many Aireborough and Wharfedale residents an alternative form of transport to buses.

“They need to be careful, especially in these times. It’s hard to maintain a business by cutting down on products and increasing prices,” said Coun Greaves.

“I’m fully expecting fare increases coming through very shortly. I don’t think it’s the way to do it, but it’s their commercial decision.”

The price rise by West Yorkshire bus companies last year pushed up the price of Metro’s combined bus and train MetroCard season tickets, gaining criticism from passenger transport officials and passengers themselves.

Wharfedale Rail Users’ Group went as far as to recommend that passengers buying season tickets ditch bus-and-train cards in favour of train-only season tickets. The group pointed out that commuters could save money by abandoning bus services.

Trades unions have indicated that bus operators are looking to make cutbacks, says Coun Greaves, and are looking at ‘significant cuts in services’.

He believes the bus companies will find themselves in difficulties if deflation arrives.

“If we do actually hit deflation, rail services have to reduce the prices, and if bus companies put prices up, they will look very silly,” said Coun Greaves.

Last summer’s bus fare rise was down to rising fuel prices. At the time, Coun Greaves argued that bus companies were using fuel costs as an excuse to the raise prices. He claimed the firms had already bought paid for fuel months before the costs went up.

One of the companies answered by saying that ‘hedging’ the fuel costs smoothed out fluctuations in fuel prices.

The loss of services this month has been attacked by an Otley bus campaigner. Former Otley town councillor Jonathan Kirkland asked why the later-night 928 NightRider bus from Leeds to Otley was being dropped when the buses were ‘standing room only’ several years ago.

“It’s supposed to be a 24-hour city and yet the last bus to Otley is at 11.05pm. It’s not really 24 hours at all,” said Mr Kirkland, a member of the Campaign for Better Transport.

Metro is unlikely to provide any subsidy to keep this service running.

Mr Kirkland also questioned the loss of a service linking York to Leeds Bradford Airport, calling at Weeton.

The 928 and daytime 731 service will be withdrawn from April 26, and the 649 Bradford service is to stop running to Guiseley and Menston.

Sunday timetable alterations are also coming in on the X84 service, connecting Ilkey and Otley with Leeds, and there will be minor alterations on bus services running between Ilkley, Addingham and Keighley.

Information on bus times is available by calling MetroLine on 0113 245 7676.