ELDERLY residents in the rural villages of Dunford Bridge and Crow Edge are being left stranded in the cold because the only bus in the area has been running early.

The number 20 from Holmfirth to Penistone only runs every two hours and residents arriving at the bus stop on time are finding it’s already gone.

Dunford Parish Council Clerk Joan Cook wrote to Stagecoach, who run the service, in May this year on behalf of the angry residents detailing the early and missing buses.

The company apologised saying it was unacceptable and that the service would be improved but those who use the bus say nothing has changed.

Sean Moran of Townhead, Dunford Bridge, said: “We were sold a new improved service but it has been rubbish, it seems like it has been set up to fail. Less and less people are using it because it is so unreliable, eventually no one will use it so they can justify cancelling our only bus.”

Rupert Cox, commercial director of Stagecoach Yorkshire, said: “Stagecoach takes timing matters extremely seriously and places great emphasis on ensuring our network runs according to schedule.

“If any passengers feel they have been inconvenienced by the early running of a service we would be happy to speak to them directly and investigate the matter further.”