A BUS service saved by local councils and the public ended again at the weekend.

The 42 service between Selby and York was shut down five years ago due to funding cuts, and Councillor John Cattanach started a campaign to bring back the service for local parishes in the Selby area on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

But recently, weight restrictions on Cawood Bridge meant the heavier buses used by the 42 service would no longer be able to cross it, and the Saturday night, Sunday and Bank Holiday services have again been cancelled.

Cllr Cattanach said: "The Parish Councils were determined to do something about protecting the 42 route and put in monies to keep their 'extra' services going. Not only were Saturday night, Sunday and Bank Holiday services retained but passenger figures improved. There is no other route in the whole of North Yorkshire where this has happened to my knowledge.

"Sadly, an issue with safe weight limits means that from Monday, Arriva will no longer have buses small enough to go over Cawood Bridge. The 42 service will be a 'rump' providing a shuttle service between Selby and Cawood. Utopia will be providing additional services with various service numbers, but will also lose their largest buses."

The Saturday service ended this weekend, and Cllr Cattanach said: "It would be my hope that North Yorkshire County Council would be able to make the bridge stronger in the future but fully understand that central government continue to put a squeeze on all councils."

Owen Thorpe, managing director of bus company Utopia, said extra journeys would begin over Cawood Bridge from today (MON), and most passengers "should not notice any change to the half hourly frequency of the services".

He said: "As most passengers use the bus services to travel to and from York, that has strongly influenced Utopia's new timetable. So, during the week the new timetable continues to have buses arriving in York every half hour from 7.12am through to 10.42am, with the current gap at 9.12am remaining.

"On a Saturday, with far fewer people travelling early morning, the first bus continues to be the 8.15am arrival. Similarly, in the afternoon, buses will depart York Piccadilly every half hour from 4pm through to 6.30pm."

However, due to fewer passengers using services between 11am and 4pm, the frequency has been changed to hourly.

Mr Thorpe said: "For Sundays a service will be introduced between South Milford and York. Initially it will run up to Christmas and then re-start again from Easter 2016."

Cllr Cattanach said: "For Sundays they will run a 42-1 service from South Milford to York three times each way every three hours. I'm afraid if you want to go to Selby then it's beg a lift or get a taxi. No Bank Holidays either.

"I have to say a big thank you to those at Arriva who have worked with me to keep our extra services and all those Parish Councillors in Wistow, Cawood, Kelfield, Stillingfleet and Naburn who had faith in me to negotiate on their behalf. We should be very pleased of our desire to protect our bus services and our acknowledged success."