The announcement of a £2 cap on bus fares has once again brought public transport into the spotlight, but as you can read elsewhere in this issue of Community News, affordable fares are only one part of a much more complicated public transport equation. If the rising costs of providing a regular bus service lead to timetable cuts, as has happened with the 580 service between Settle and Skipton, the price of a ticket becomes almost irrelevant if there is no bus to catch when you need one.
In rural areas such as North Yorkshire, alternatives to a regular bus service are not always readily available, and not everyone has access to a car. As a result, journeys that ought to be straightforward – whether for work, a hospital appointment, a visit to the post office or simply to see friends and family – can become increasingly difficult. Finding a way to provide reliable public transport at a cost that is affordable for both passengers and operators is a challenge I certainly don’t envy.
On a lighter note, it’s that time of year again when our flowerpot friends emerge from their hiding places to bring colour and fun to Settle. You can read about the work that goes into making the Flowerpot Festival a success, and meet some of this year’s new additions, on pages 28-29.
Speaking of new additions, we also have the first of what we hope will become a regular series of articles from the young farmers of our district on page 26.
Finally, many thanks to Nick White who has supplied the artwork on our cover, a rather striking painting of a still much-loved historical mode of transport.
Click here to download issue 194
John Drake
Editor
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