A ROW has broken out over the continued support of an Otley bus service.

Labour councillors on the town council believe the W9 bus service, which links the town to Menston Railway Station, is under threat by Liberal Democrat members of the council.

But on Monday, Liberal Democrats stressed the service was safe and only the amount of subsidy given it could change.

In 1999 the then Labour controlled town council launched the W9 service with Metro and signed a contract agreeing to an annual subsidy of £1,700.

But now, Liberal Democrat members say it would be folly to continue with such a level of subsidy if the service is running at a profit.

At Monday's meeting of the environment and economic development committee, Councillor John Eveleigh (Lab, Manor) said that he wanted to be reassured that the council would continue to subsidise the service.

He believed that the council should honour its agreement with Metro and continue to subsidise the service.

But Coun Jim Spencer (Lib Dem, West Chevin) said there was no intention of reneging on the contract.

"It has been agreed with Metro that if the service became financially viable there would be no reason to spend taxpayers money on it," he said.

Coun Jonathan Kirkland said he regularly used the W9 and it was a brilliant service.

"I am sure that a lot of people who use the service are very grateful for it. It is the next best thing to having rail in Otley. "

You can get to from Otley to the centre of Leeds in just half an hour and it can take two hours on the X84 bus."