TADCASTER residents have welcomed the return of a vital bus service.

Residents at the Popple Well Springs extra care housing development in Tadcaster lost the Coastliner bus service when the previous operator re-routed it last October, and a year-long campaign began to allow residents to take advantage of public transport.

Local resident Barbara Smith, 66, started a petition which was signed by 350 people to bring back the service, and Arriva has extended its 492/493 route to pick up passengers from the community and transport them around the district.

Barbara said: "I am delighted with the result. It’s been a long journey but thanks to everybody’s support we now have a bus service which will help us get essential supplies from the local supermarket as well as fantastic days out in historic Sherburn. Thank you Arriva."

Nigel Adams, MP for Selby and Ainsty, supported the campaign for the service, and said: "When I met with Popplewell Springs residents to discuss the withdrawal of the Coastliner bus service I knew it was something that had to be resolved as many of the residents were being hugely inconvenienced.

"I wrote to the county council asking them to see if Arriva could put on a service with their help and I'm delighted to see that it has paid off."