A PROMISED regular bus connection to Airedale Hospital from Silsden is unlikely to happen in the near future.

But a councillor has revealed that the long-term hope is still to extend the 762 Keighley-Ilkley service to the Steeton hospital.

Adrian Naylor, who sits on both Bradford and Silsden councils, claims services could be extended as soon as a bus terminus can be built at Airedale.

Now Cllr Naylor has set out to clarify what was due to happen following conflicting reports.

Changes were made to the route of the long-running 762 service last September, causing controversy in Silsden.

Silsden town councillors recently hosted a public meeting with representatives representatives from Transdev, which runs 762 service, and West Yorkshire passenger transport body Metro.

Following the meeting Cllr Naylor said Transdev had pledged in future to run all of its 762 buses via Airedale Hospital.

However, when the new 762 timetable was published this month the route had been extended to Harrogate and Otley but there was no mention of a full connection with Airedale.

The new timetable showed just two 762 buses a day calling at the hospital.

Colin Booth, general manager at Transdev’s Keighley Depot, subsequently told the Craven Herald there were no plans to increase journeys on the 762 to Airedale Hospital.

He said: “The vast majority of our customers travelling on this service regularly tell us that they prefer to have a quicker route in and out of Keighley; and running to the hospital would be a significant diversion for them.

“Customers can travel to the hospital on route 66 which runs from both Steeton and Keighley bus station, every 20 minutes during the day, Monday to Saturday.”

“We remain committed to hearing views and suggestions from passengers and local residents and, when helpful for the majority, we will always try to act on them.”

Cllr Naylor immediately contacted Transdev for clarification and said he was told the company’s “aspiration” was eventually to run all 762 buses via Airedale.

Cllr Naylor said. “Transdev are hoping to do it in the future once the hospital has built a bus terminus. It will be commercial decision, but that’s what they’re hoping.”

It is understood that Airedale Hospital’s bus terminus project is in its very early stages.