Methodist Minister the Reverend Geoff Reid, pictured, believes pubs can play a vital role in getting people on to public transport.

Now the team leader of Bradford's Methodist Touchstone Centre is calling for bus timetables to be put in the city's bars.

Mr Reid - who is known as the 'spiritual advisor' at his own local, McCrory's bar - said he believes pubs are just the ticket for showing customers the way home.

He said people from all walks of life and religions go out for a drink and could benefit from the information.

Mr Reid says he is a 'discerning' drinker and it is no longer the case that all Methodists frown on alcohol.

He asked for the timetables to go into pubs at a meeting of Bradford passenger consultative committee when members discussed the best way of getting information to the public.

"I think pubs in strategic positions, like the Branch at Shipley, rather than the locals, are the place," he said.

"It's also a way of trying to stop drink- driving."

Graham Mitchell, communications manager for Keighley and District Travel, said the company has already pioneered highly successful links with pubs.

He added that the company has a partnership with brewers Timothy Taylor promoting both beer and bus routes and information is displayed in drinking houses and many other outlets.

A Metro spokesman said: "Metro is committed to providing up to date and impartial information on all public transport services within West Yorkshire and would of course support any measure that helps reinforce the drink-driving message.'

"We have, when asked, distributed timetables to pubs in the past and have promoted new rural services in this way.

"If there is a demand for this information to be displayed in pubs we can certainly look at trying to make it available, although it would of course depend upon the agreement of breweries and landlords or landladies.

Mr Reid also called for places where people could eat and drink on the new concourse at Bradford's Transport Inter-change.

A Metro spokesman said bosses hope to provide the facility and are in discussions about it.