The Wharfedale Venturer, a community bus which covers one of England’s most remote and picturesque routes following the course of the River Wharfe in the Yorkshire Dales, began its first journey as a scheduled service on Monday.
The bus, which was officially launched by the Wharfedale communites in Kettlewell on Saturday, provides a vital transport connection between upland villages from Grassington to Buckden.
North Yorkshire County Council has supplied the bus and a £25,000 annual grant to support the service which is run by community volunteers, including 15 volunteer drivers.
The launch, which was attended by Julian Smith, Member of Parliament for Skipton and Ripon, County Council Chairman Cllr David Jeffels, local County Councillor Shelagh Marshall, and Cllr Don Mackenzie, North Yorkshire’s Executive Member for Highways, attracted hundreds of villagers for the celebration.
Julian Smith MP said: ‘It was great to attend the launch of the Wharfedale Venturer at the weekend. I would like to pay tribute to all the volunteers and individuals who have made this happen and have put in over 2,000 hours of their time so far. This service will make a real difference to those living and working in the local area and is an excellent example of communities working closely with the County Council to provide a service which reflects the needs of people living there.’
