THE cancellation of a bus over Addingham Moorside has sparked a row between the company and a passenger.

Peter Horsefield was angered after operator Jackson's of Silsden axed the 903 bus service over Addingham Moorside last Wednesday afternoon.

The firm blamed the icy conditions, but Mr Horsefield was not satisfied.

"The bus had already been up and down twice in the morning," he said. "Other traffic was going down as well, we got a lift with some people earlier."

The subsidised bus service runs between Addingham and Steeton and provides a valuable service to the people who live at or use the caravan site on Addingham Moorside.

Mr Horsefield, 56, and his wife Maureen, 59, are regular visitors to the School Wood Farm caravan site on Straight Lane.

But he was dismayed when, on Wednesday, he tried to return to his caravan after a shopping trip into Silsden only to be told that the service would not be running.

He said: "We do not use it all the time but when we have all the shopping, it is a big help. The company is given a subsidy from taxpayers money to operate the bus.

"It seems that it is not really run by Jackson's as a service but as a subsidised business. If we are going to have a bus service let's have one, but for the benefit of the people who use it, not for the benefit of the of the people who run it."

Jackson's company director, David Thornton said: "I think that there has been a misunderstanding.

"We are not looking to permanently cancel the service or suspend it. Our driver reported that the road was icy and conditions were treacherous.

"We had a small accident with a tractor on one of the morning trips when the bus was empty.

"The problem is that you are committed once you go up Brown Bank or Turner Lane because the roads are narrow and you can't turn around. We have to think about the safety of our passengers and the driver."

The Transport Authority, Metro, which funds and organises the service also stressed that the service would still run as normal.

A spokesman said: "There was a minor collision due to the adverse conditions but nobody was injured.

"The service has definitely not been withdrawn, it was just stopped from going over Brown Bank because of the state of the road."

Mr Thornton is eager to find ways to improve the service for his customers and stresses that passengers are able to phone the bus driver for information.

He said: "The driver's phone number is printed on the timetable.

"If they contact the bus then he will be able to advise them on the conditions.

"We are looking for input on how to improve the service.

"It might be an idea to get reports from the people who live up there."