MEET Dale and Dale – the faces of the new-look bus service between Keighley and Skipton.

The Keighley Bus Company rolled out two ‘Dales’ for the launch of the rebranded Dalesway 66 bus which runs along the Aire valley.

One was woolly mascot Dale the Sheep, the other the slightly less cuddly bus driver Dale Cooke, who is part of the exclusive Dalesway team.

Dalesway 66 features a new fleet of Optare Versa buses, part of a £2 million investment in Keighley by bus group Transdev.

Each one is built in Yorkshire and boasts features, such as easy-access interiors, comfortable seating, free 4G Wi-Fi and USB power points at every seat.

The Dalesway 66 service now runs every 30 minutes between Monday and Saturday, and hourly on Sundays, between Keighley, Steeton, Airedale Hospital, Sutton, Cross Hills and Skipton.

Combined with the Mainline M4 route, which journeys to Pendle towns like Colne and Burnley, there is a bus every 15 minutes on weekdays between Keighley, Steeton, Airedale Hospital and Cross Hills.

The Keighley Bus Company gen manager Colin Booth said: “Our all-new buses in their specially-designed green and yellow colours are bringing a new high standard of service to Airedale – and our own woolly Dale the Sheep is sure to raise a smile!

“Our ‘other Dale’, driver Dale Cooke, won’t be sheepish either when it comes to looking after everyone on-board.

“Dale’s part of a great team of friendly drivers, who are all looking forward to welcoming passengers onto our fresh new Dalesway 66 – a service so good it’s got Dale’s name on it!”

The introduction of the new Dalesway 66 service is the latest phase of a £2 million investment in amazing new buses by Transdev, owners of The Keighley Bus Company.

The Keighley town mayor, Councillor Shabir Ahmed, who works at Keighley bus station, officially launched the new company and its buses in July.

Passengers using the Keighley Bus Company’s services from Laycock, Braithwaite, Thwaites Brow and Oakworth are already travelling on the new Optare Versa single-deckers.

Timetable and fare information for the Dalesway 66 service, and all other services run by the Keighley Bus Company, are available by visiting keighleybus.co.uk, from the Metro Travel Centre at Keighley bus station, or by calling 01535 603284.