THE founder of community transport scheme has spoken out in defence of the service after it was criticised by users at a public meeting.

John Blackie, who launched the Hawes-based Little White Bus in response to local authority transport cutbacks, described the service as a "brilliant success story" - despite passengers raising concerns about complicated timetables, unpleasant journeys and users being left behind because buses were full.

The criticisms were made at a meeting of Wensleydale Transport Action Group.

The subsequent report of the meeting said passengers believed timetables were unrealistically tight, leaving insufficient time for drivers to travel between stops.

This had lead to unsafe driving and "white knuckle" rides, with many services being ten minutes late.

But Cllr Blackie has now spoken out in defence of the service and its volunteer drivers.

He said: "The Little White Bus is proving to be a brilliant success story for the Upper Dales, and our residents and visitors are enjoying frequent and flexible daily services to meet their travelling needs that are quite the envy of communities several times our size.

"Known locally as 'our' Little White Bus, the passenger numbers using our new services have been maintained and or increased compared with the previous operators, on one route by some eight times.

"By saving the county council money we have been able to provide services that otherwise would have been cut. All credit to everybody involved, not least the public-spirited good nature of our team of 32 LWB volunteer drivers."

Cllr Blackie added that the service carried 4,842 passengers in July, with numbers increasing month by month as confidence built among local communities and visitors.

He added that the new LWB Wensleydale Voyager service between Hawes and Leyburn, which attracted many of the comments at the meeting, carried 2,362 passengers in July - an increase of 25 per cent on June. the passenger numbers in the June figures.

"Passenger numbers are now equalling those who used the previous bus services in 2014, with every prospect of further increases in the near future," Cllr Blackie added.

"This number of passengers needs to be compared with the 30 people who attended the Wensleydale TAG meeting on July 3."

The community leader said that the "overwhelming majority" of customers were satisfied.

The Wensleydale Transport Action Group meeting was chaired by Colin Speakman, from the Dales and Bowland Community Interest Company (CIC), which helps provide bus services, particularly in the south of the national park.

Cllr Blackie suggested the CIC wanted to take on services currently run by LWB - a claim vehemently denied this week by Mr Speakman.