A NEW bus for patients and their families in now in operation shuttling people between two of the region's towns.

The larger, 25-seater bus is operating between between the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton and James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.

The service has been use since the controversial downgrading of children's and maternity services at the Friarage in October but now a larger bus has been bought with funds from Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group (HRW CCG). and follows changes to children's and maternity services at the Friarage Hospital.

Proctors Coach Hire, of Leeming Bar, is running the service, which replaces the seven-seater minibus used at the start of the pilot.

The bus is also available to use for hospital patients and their families, and staff, not just for those accessing children’s and maternity services.

The coach travels between the two hospitals ten times a day, and is available Monday to Friday only (excluding public holidays). It picks up from outside the Friarage’s main entrance, and drops off outside the Women and Children’s entrance at James Cook Hospital. Click here for the full timetable.

Dr Charles Parker, Topcliffe GP and HRW CCG Governing Body members, said: “We know from the consultation regarding Children’s and Maternity services at the Friarage that transport links is a significant issue for local people. We want to make sure that there is a large enough shuttle bus in operation to meet demand. We’ve invested a couple of thousand pounds more per month to ensure this is possible."

The downgrading of services at the Northallerton hospital led to protests, a petition and criticism from Conservative MP William Hague.