Improving public transport is a goal of many councils’ plans in West Yorkshire – but it is “not an easy road”, says a senior councillor.

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin has put good public transport links at the heart of her policy goals through West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Bus Service Improvement Plan and Calderdale Council has similar aims.

At full Calderdale Council, Coun Amanda Parson-Hulse (Lib Dem, Warley) welcomed Ms Brabin’s new Mayor’s Fares scheme giving cheaper travel but said reliability including communication via real time information was poor.

She asked Cabinet members if they could help improve the situation.

“People need to know they are going to get to work on time, hospital appointments on time, and important meetings on time.

“Is there any reason why we cannot get the bus companies to update our real time system?

“I’ve been told it is a possibility – I am aware that the bus companies have been really difficult about this,” she said.

Council Deputy Leader Coun Jane Scullion (Lab, Luddenden Foot) said: “It isn’t an easy road to improving bus services in this country,” she said.

“The competition between them has not always been in the interest of the bus user,” she said.

Coun Scullion said work would continue through the enhanced partnership, adding she would not say the bus companies were being uncooperative – but it was a difficult journey balancing companies’ need to make a profit and councils’ aim to improve services.