Sir, – There has been concern and speculation about proposed changes to bus services due to cuts in funding later this month.

We were shocked to discover recently that any regular services will cease in Lower Wensleydale east of Askrigg towards Wensley. Thus the residents of Woodhall, Carperby, Castle Bolton, Redmire and Prestonunder- Scar might get some sort of “dial a ride”.

Are the businesses along this route, including the two major tourist attractions of Bolton Castle and Wensleydale Railway (Redmire terminus), aware that visitors will now have no access by bus transport? This hardly seems a “green” proposal – making people yet more reliant on car usage.

For simplicity, the proposals set out five return journeys daily between Leyburn and Hawes on the south of the dale through Aysgarth. The first of these arrives in Leyburn at 10.38am – excellent for using the services (such as doctors) in the local market town and to have an onward service to Richmond almost two hours later (12.35) is very useful.

While appreciating cuts to services in rural areas must be made to save money, this particular proposal seems very unfair and wrong. It was never stated within the so called “consultation process” some weeks back. To have a major area of one of the most popular dales denied a proper scheduled bus service and further isolate those residents that have been and need to use buses is failure on the council’s part.

There seems to be a refusal to consider any fairer possibility. Five services a day is too many on one side (another excuse to reduce more in the future) and none is not enough on the other. Why not consider a clockface circular up and back from Leyburn to Hawes or a shortened route this side starting at Carperby and other fairer ways could be suggested which would cost no more.

It would be interesting to see how the proposed service gets on from Worton to Askrigg on a road unsuitable for long vehicles, with no passing places for some length and which suffered a fair degree of flooding in January/February this year. I am afraid it is certain these proposals may be cheaper but they have been cobbled together by people who have probably never been here or had to take or rely on bus transport.

JOHN and CHRISTINE PRITCHARD Redmire, Leyburn.