A ‘lifeline’ bus link connecting Otley and Leeds is to be cut back along with buses serving residents north of the River Wharfe.

Bus operator First is already facing criticism from councillors over its decision to run fewer X84 buses, and combine two local services.

The daytime X84 service, which connects Otley and Bramhope to Leeds, will be cut down from every 15 minutes to one every 20 minutes from the end of this month.

First says the economic climate and too few passengers have prompted the decision.

The changes to the service will not affect the half-hourly X84 service to Burley-in-Wharfedale and Ilkley, and hourly daytime weekday service to Skipton.

Bramhope resident Councillor Clive Fox (Con, Adel and Wharfedale) said the decision to scale back the X84 service was a ‘backward step’. He said: “First’s decision to reduce the service levels by a quarter to three buses an hour is very much a backward step and it is a great shame that we now seem to be starting to go backwards after the progress made in recent years.”

The deputy chairman of West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority Metro, Councillor Ryk Downes, said he was disappointed with First’s decision.

Coun Downes, (Lib Dem, Otley and Yeadon) said: “First is reducing buses to every 20 minutes, back to three buses instead of four an hour, which I think is a retrograde step because it’s a lifeline link from Otley to Leeds.”

A spokesman for First’s Leeds office said: “From the end of August we will be reducing the frequency of the X84 between Leeds and Otley from 15 minutes to 20 minutes per hour during the day, Monday to Saturday.

“There will be no change to buses running through to Ilkley and Skipton with two buses an hour to Ilkley and one bus an hour to Skipton.

“The reason for the change is that fewer passengers are using the service to justify four buses an hour in the current economic climate. There will be no change to evening or Sunday services.”