PARKING bosses have banned a minibus for old and disabled people from a retail park.

The ML4 service, run by Mount Taxis, used to transport its passengers to the door of shops at the Great Northern Retail Park, Great Northern Street.

The minibus, run on behalf of West Yorkshire passenger transport authority Metro, would also wait at the bottom of the car park to take shoppers home.

But now UKCPS, which runs the car park at the retail estate, has banned the minibus from entering the gates of the park.

Now old and disabled people must walk, hobble or wheel their way out of the car park and across the busy Great Northern Street to catch the ML4 home.

Customers unable to walk the distance may now have to stump up extra cash for taxis now the service, which is free to over-60s bus pass holders, has been barred.

On July 12 a driver for Mount Taxis was warned if the bus entered the car park the company would be fined, Mount Taxis said.

Director Beverley Hall said: “When we went in there was a traffic attendant who told our driver he couldn’t park. Our driver said this was part of the service. He said we couldn’t park and if he saw us in the car park he would ticket us.

“It seems ridiculous because we are providing a service for their customers. The people who use the bus are older and disabled people.

“We’re a bit surprised they didn’t want the service running there. It causes them no inconvenience. We’ve been running this service for three years and this the first time this has happened.”

Trevor Payne, 72, of Bradley Road, used the ML4 service almost every week.

Mr Payne, who has difficulty walking because of a spinal condition, said: “Two weeks I was going to Homebase for some compost. The driver told me he couldn’t go in because he was banned. I wanted my compost but I couldn’t carry it back.

“It’s pointless if you can’t go into the car park. The idea of the bus service is for the convenience.

“Now I’ve got to get a taxi. There and back that’s £11 before you’ve even bought what you needed.”

The Examiner contacted Leeds-based UKCPS.

Nobody was available to comment.