A bus passenger is planning to sue Arriva for the time wasted waiting for a bus to turn up.

Mike Booth, 61, hoped to catch the 8.22am bus from Roberttown in Liversedge to Mirfield train station.

But after walking a third of a mile to the stop on a cold February morning, the bus failed to turn up.

Mr Booth, a consultant engineer, had just started walking back home to fetch his car when the bus appeared. But as he was not at the designated stop the driver would not pick him up.

Mr Booth is now planning to sue Arriva in the small claims Court for £17.63 - based on the hourly rate he charges customers for travelling to jobs.

"Arriva are offering to convey my body from A to B, but equally important they are offering to move me at pre-determined times," he said.

"That is very important if you have to go to work or have onward train connections."

Arriva have written to Mr Booth, telling him that the bus was delayed due to traffic congestion and that the driver was unable to pick up passengers between bus stops.

But Mr Booth said the company should be able to allow for peak-hour traffic problems when scheduling services. "I have a poodle here that can work out it will be busier on the roads between 8am and 9am," he said. A spokesman for Arriva said the company will be asking Dewsbury County Court to strike out Mr Booth's claim.

"Customer services representatives have apologised for the inconvenience Mr Booth experienced, explained the reasons for the late running of the bus Mr Booth attempted to catch, and explained that we believe his claim against us for £17.63 has no legal grounds," he said.