Soothing classical music will be piped into bus stations in Bradford district in a bid to calm stressed-out passengers.

Transport bosses will be turning to Beethoven and Bach to help keep the peace at Bradford Interchange in Bridge Street and Keighley bus station in Bow Street, it was confirmed yesterday.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire passenger transport authority Metro said research showed classical music would create a “soothing atmosphere” for users and stop groups of young people loitering at the stations’ entrances.

It is thought playing classics rather than pop or easy listening might make them decide to hang around elsewhere.

A spokesman for Metro said: “Our customers will soon be experiencing the magic of Mozart and beat of Beethoven being played in all our bus stations following the successful trial in Huddersfield where classical music has been played at the bus station entrances since February.

“Feedback from our regular passenger surveys have shown playing live or recorded music is appreciated and comments from Huddersfield have been very positive with passengers commenting on the ‘soothing atmosphere’ while waiting for their bus.

“Our surveys have shown the initiative does act as a natural deterrent to people gathering at the entrances.”

It is not the first time in the district that sound has been used to disperse young people congregating.

In 2008, Bradford Council and West Yorkshire Police defended their use of controversial ‘Mosquito’ devices which emit a high-pitch sound to disperse young people from nuisance hotspots.

That was after Professor Sir Al Aynsley-Green, the Children's Commissioner for England, and civil liberties campaigners said the devices are indiscriminate because they target all children, including babies, and create a divide between young and old.