HOPES are high that Pool-in-Wharfedale will benefit from a half-million pound public

transport boost.

The village is at the top of the agenda for Metro bosses planning improvements to rural bus and train services.

The grant was announced by the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions in April, and West Yorkshire has secured £500,000 for the next three years.

Cash must be used in schemes to increase and improve services in and around settlements of 10,000 people or less.

Pool Parish Council chairman Chris Leggatt said he was quite confident of winning

better buses in Pool following an initial meeting of parish councils to outline the plan.

"At the meeting they already knew all about Pool's problems and we are top of the list. Other parish councils were not in the same position to come forward because they had not done the same kind of detailed work," he said. Coun Leggatt said both Otley and Bramhope depended on the village to improve their transport. "They need us to be part of the scheme because there has to be a certain amount of open road between the settlements," he said.

"I do think we will see something happening. Metro are very keen and we look forward to some significant improvement."

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