More buses, more often on key commuter route into Leeds after bus boost hailed a success

The Keighley Bus Company unveils plans for extra trips to and from Leeds on popular Aireline route thanks to double-digit rise in passenger numbers

West Yorkshire bus operator The Keighley Bus Company today reveals more improvements are on the way to one of the region’s most popular bus services, after boosted timetables and lower fares delivered double-digit increases in customer numbers on its Aireline route through Shipley, Thackley and Calverley into Leeds.

Working in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, led by Mayor Tracy Brabin, the bus firm announced last September that it had secured Combined Authority support worth £2.7 million over three years to deliver improvements aimed at attracting more people to choose the bus, and cut congestion and pollution.

The funding deal enabled The Keighley Bus Company to run more buses on three of its most popular local routes – along with a brand-new route 60A to increase weekday journeys between Shipley and Leeds from the previous two to three buses an hour, while replacing a service withdrawn by another bus operator last April.

The bus firm now says its Aireline route is now attracting 28% more customers compared with prior to September 2023’s improvements, with over 350 more passengers per week boarding its buses on the new sections of route served by the 60A.

As a result, from 17 March, The Keighley Bus Company will add an extra weekday morning bus service to arrive in Leeds before 9am, and an extra bus in the late afternoon, boosting evening peak departures from Leeds City Bus Station to every 15 minutes.

The Keighley Bus Company’s Commercial Director, Paul Turner, said: “Our Aireline customers can look forward to twice as many peak-time buses compared with the timetable in place before last September’s improvements

“We’re delighted to see significant improvements for our customers, supported by the Combined Authority through Bus Service Improvement Plan funding, are proving so popular with more people in Shipley, Thackley and Calverley switching to our buses.

“The success of our additional services is an excellent example of partnership working between bus operators, local transport authorities and Government to make bus travel attractive for many more people.”

Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin said: “Making bus travel more convenient, reliable and affordable is a key part of my vision for a better-connected West Yorkshire.

“Our funding has given these buses a real boost, showing that investment into the network delivers results.

“I hope to see results like these replicated across the region.”

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “Improving the frequency of bus services with Combined Authority funding has already proved a success.

“It’s great to see Transdev take the initiative and build on this success by increasing the frequency at the busiest times even further. It really underlines the benefit of public investment to build sustainable bus routes in our communities.”

Full details of all The Keighley Bus Company’s routes and fare deals are available online at: transdevbus.co.uk/Keighley, in printed timetables from the Metro Travel Centre at Leeds City Bus Station, and via the free to download ‘Transdev Go’ mobile app.