Mayor of North Yorkshire adds extra evening bus service between Harrogate and Pateley Bridge as part of transport plans

Earlier this week, David Skaith set out his vision for bus services in York and North Yorkshire – increasing accessible, affordable and convenient public transport.

Outlining his priorities, he said he would focus on “investing in young people, rural services and helping people get to work”.

Commitments include protecting the cheaper fares for NHS staff at York Hospital; boosting vital rural services by awarding an additional £50,000 to both the Moorsbus and DalesBus; and connecting young people to opportunity by integrating £1 fares for under-19s in York and North Yorkshire.

Mayor Skaith said: “Buses across York and North Yorkshire are not good enough – today marks a landmark step in the journey to fix that.

“From today I will be working tirelessly to get our buses working for people and communities across our region.

“Over the next year I'll be investing £95m into our region's transport and highways, improving bus stops, making our streets safer for children to get to school, and taking action to fix our roads thanks to an extra £16m from government to tackle potholes across the region.”

He added: “Safeguarding and improving our rural buses will also make a huge impact on our more isolated communities. Bettering residents’ journeys out of the area, but also visitors’ journeys in, protecting our thriving visitor economy and promoting connection with our vast and beautiful landscapes.

“I have seen, first-hand, the support DalesBus and MoorsBus do for our really rural areas and that is why I am committing extra funding to them, as well as adding an additional service from Harrogate to Pateley Bridge.”

This year, York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority will consult on a Local Transport Plan, setting the plans to deliver the Strategic Transport Framework.

Mayor Skaith said: “As I work towards a public consultation on franchising, there is work that I and the bus operators need to do to start making changes now.

“I'll also keep pushing for the long-term investment our region needs to fix our broken transport service, making York and North Yorkshire an easier place to live, work and enjoy.”