Residents, councillors and health action groups have made an urgent plea for improved transport services in the Allerton area of Bradford.

About 20 members of local community groups and organisations met with transport service and supermarket representatives at Lower Grange community centre this week to talk about affordable transport to shops.

Campaigners claimed that the health of low-income families on the Lower Grange, Allerton, Bell Dean and Fairweather estates was suffering because of poor access to local supermarkets.

The area is currently served by a WM Morrison supermarket in Thornton Road and a Co-op store in Allerton Road.

But campaign organiser Maggi Chapman, who has collected 800 signatures on the issue, said current bus services were inadequate and that shoppers were paying up to £5 a week for taxis.

"People can only afford to go down to Morrisons once a week and when the food runs out they're filling children up with chocolate and microwave meals," she said.

Speakers at the meeting included local councillors and representatives from Child Poverty Action, food poverty group SUSTAIN and Bradford University. The campaign is also supported by Bradford West MP Marsha Singh (Labour).

Councillor Elaine Byrom (Con, Clayton) said transport services were essential for the whole community. She said: "There are a lot of elderly people who do not leave their homes at night because they would have to get a taxi. It's not just shopping, it's also giving a service to the community."

Managing director of bus company First Bradford, Andy Campbell, said he was prepared to look at additional services.

"At the moment we need to reinvest in new buses to offer access to mothers and buggies and wheelchair users. The ideal service is if Morrison's provided subsidies. That could be something we could work towards."

A spokesperson for Morrison's said: "We are happy to continue investigating the viable benefits of a subsidised bus service with all partners who would potentially benefit from the service."

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