THREE bus services for schoolchildren in the Bradford area are set to be axed as a cost-cutting measure by West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The services, which serve schools in Wibsey, Manningham and Brighouse, are all set to be discontinued, while services in Crossflatts and Ilkley will be subject to fare rises which are set to cost children using the services up to an extra £156 a year.

The P6 bus service, which serves Iqra Primary School in Manningham, will go, along with the P90 service for Wibsey Primary School and the P5 bus which serves St Joseph’s Primary School in Brighouse.

Crossflatts Primary School’s P31 service will be staying, albeit with an increase to fare, as well as the P99 service which runs in Ilkley.

The P99 will be reviewed in December, West Yorkshire Combined Authority has said.

The fares will be increased from 80p per trip or £6 for a week ticket to £1 per trip or £8 for a week pass.

This means that bus travel on those services could cost an extra £156 a year, comparing the cheapest old deal with the most expensive new costs.

Reduced Council budgets and the cost of the services combined have been given as the reason the changes to bus services will be brought in from September.

Across the county, nine services are set to be withdrawn, and 11 services will continue with fares increased.

A West Yorkshire Combined Authority spokesperson said: “Earlier this year, the Combined Authority began an engagement exercise on the future of 20 primary school bus services which, between them, had just 480 registered users of whom 350 were travelling on a regular basis.

“In the light of reduced local authority budgets, the Combined Authority is committed to continuing the delivery of value for money for local tax payers.

“After evaluating the feedback, as well as the cost per pupil per trip and the availability of suitable public transport alternatives, the decision was taken to withdraw nine of the services under review.

“Arrangements for the remaining 11 services to continue have been made on the basis of increased fares.

“Letters have been sent to schools and parents affected telling them about the changes which will start from the beginning of the new school year in September.”

The P99 bus serves four schools in the Ilkley area, and parent Jenna Midgley has been campaigning to save the service.

She said: “I’m just so thrilled and relieved that Metro are prepared to give the bus another chance.

“Many parents like myself are reliant on the bus so that we can get our children to school safely and go to work.

“When I moved to Ilkley last year I never imagined that I wouldn’t be able to get my children into the local school.

“They were allocated places in different schools. It was a logistical nightmare having two children in separate schools, a good 20 minutes walk apart.

“Then I heard about the bus and it was the answer to our prayers. It meant I could send both my children to a school 30 minutes walk away, and work full-time.”

John Grogan, MP for Keighley and Ilkley, added: “This is an excellent result, now we have got time to try and boost numbers on the bus and secure the service for the long term.”