A NEW bus service linking villages and towns in North Craven will be free during its first week.

The transport will be free for one week only, starting on Monday October 20.

The North Craven Taxibus and Settle Area Stationlink was launched on Tuesday with a ceremony at The Traddock in Austwick.

The eight seater people carrier with wheelchair access will operate six days a week connecting villages on either side of the A65 in North Craven.

The service will be operated by Bentham Community Transport and timetables were published this week.

The service will link with commuter trains at Giggleswick and Settle stations and will take passengers to Settle on Tuesdays and Bentham on Wednesdays for market days.

There are also plans to develop waiting areas at Settle and Giggleswick stations to improve conditions for passengers waiting for connections.

The whole thing has been made possible thanks to funding awarded to the county council from the Government's Rural Bus Challenge competition.

Lin Barrington, of Bentham Community Transport, explained that three drivers would share the journeys working on a shift system.

"The service will meet trains and in between times will go round Settle, Bentham, Ingleton, Clapham, Austwick, Lawkland and call at Newby lane end and Feizor land end.

"It will be a good link between Bentham and Settle because at the moment you can't get a bus direct between the two. We are hoping it will fill some gaps," said Lin.

Fares for the service, starting after the initial free week, have not yet been announced, but they are expected to be comparable with existing bus fares.

Bentham Community Transport has won the contract to operate the service until March 2006.

"We hope it will continue after that too," said Lin.

For more details about the bus service contact the operator on 015242 62753