PEOPLE power has saved a village bus service.

Delighted residents of Kirkheaton are celebrating the news that a threatened bus service has won a reprieve.

Officials from transport operator Metro confirmed at a community meeting that they had listened to the concerns of Kirkheaton residents and that there would continue to be an evening service to and from Kirkheaton and Upper Heaton – albeit slightly reduced.

From the end of April there will be three 262 services after 7pm, and a final one through an extension of the 371 which will give an even later bus than is available now.

The news was given at a public meeting in Kirkheaton Church, where around 50 local residents came to hear and ask questions of Mr Neale Wallace, bus services manager for Metro.

The meeting was chaired by the Rev Richard Steel, chairman of ‘Yetton Together,’ and heard the widespread concerns from residents.

But Mr Wallace confirmed that the service would run until July 2013, with further assessment of future services earlier that year, with full consultation with local residents.

He said: “Metro is currently undertaking consultation on a wide range of bus services within South Kirklees for changes in October this year.

“Whilst the 262 Kirkheaton evening service was not part of this wider consultation, the service was flagged up as being at risk from April 2012 as it did not represent value for money with low passenger use and a high cost per passenger journey.

“Kirkheaton residents were concerned about their potential loss of evening services. Metro has listened to these concerns and has worked hard to provide a new service pattern that meets the majority of residents’ needs, but also provides greater value for money for the taxpayer.

“Some aspects of the new service are an improvement with, for instance, a later departure from Huddersfield to Kirkheaton at 11pm giving greater leisure opportunities.”

Metro has agreed to fund the new service until July 2013 on a ‘use it or lose it’ basis.

And Mr Wallace has confirmed any future plans would involve consultation with residents.

Mr Steel said: “This is a great result for the community and shows just what can be achieved when people work together.

“In less than a fortnight we have gone from some very bad news to a great result.

“Yetton Together’s transport and traffic working group are very happy to accept the offer to work with Metro on the longer term future of this service.”

Jonathan Evans, one of those who led the campaign, said: “I was delighted to hear this.

“We are really pleased with the new timetable. I’d like to thank everyone for writing, spreading the news, going to Metro’s consultations, sending e-mails and attending the meeting.”

Bus bosses, however, will cut two services due to lack of demand.

Metro has decided to stop running the ML4 Ashbrow circular via Deighton and Fartown.

The ML6 Almondbury circular, which calls at Waterloo, will also be scrapped.

Metro said the services would be abolished in the summer because passenger numbers were “very low”.