Transport chiefs came under fire today over cuts to early morning services which are hitting passengers.

Former bus driver David Jackson, who says his family is suffering from cuts to services at Holme Wood, was today taking the case to a meeting of the Bradford Passenger Consultative Committee.

West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority says it cannot afford to subsidise some of the services at Holme Wood and other areas and has not put them out to tender.

And the bus company has said it cannot help because the services are not viable.

But today Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe said: "The company is making profits and I would like both sides to look at it again and see if a compromise can be reached."

The rumpus follows a similar row when services were withdrawn on Christmas Day and New Years Day. Buses went off the road at 7.30pm on Christmas and New Year's Eve.

The PTA said it was unable to pay its subsidy to restore the services, which had been axed four years previously.

Now Mr Jackson says his wife and daughter will have to find alternative ways of getting to work.

Mr Jackson, a member of the consultative committee, said he was raising the matter at today's meeting

His daughter and wife start work early in the morning and have previously been able to get a bus from their home in Holme Wood at 5.20am and 5.50am. Now the earliest bus is at 6.20am.

Mr Jackson, 48, of Heysham Drive, said: "It's ridiculous."

The chairman of the Passenger Consultative Committee, Coun Latif Darr, said it was a catch 22 situation: "We try to encourage people to use public transport, yet the authorities say they haven't enough money to subsidise services and the bus companies say they are not viable."

A PTA spokesman: "We keep an open mind and could review the situation in the future.

Khadim Hussain, First Bradford Traveller operations manager, said the company was investing £9.5 million in new buses and a purpose-built depot.

He added: "We always do our best to work with the PTA and will talk to them."

The timetable changes were introduced earlier this month on 43 routes across the Bradford district.

Most affected early morning or late-night services, which were axed or moved to later or earlier times.

Some new service times were introduced at weekends.

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