COUNCILLORS are calling for an end to the big Moorsbuses being used in small villages in the North York Moors National Park.

Danby Group Parish Council heard that there were plans to expand the Moorsbus services operated by the North York Moors National Park.

Councillors felt this was completely unnecessary as the services ran at the moment were often empty and would like to see minibuses used instead to reduce congestion in some of the villages.

Coun David Hodgson said: "If they're expanding, the buses will be empty. There's hardly anyone using them now."

Fears over the effect an expanded service could cause were raised by Coun Linda Grout.

She told how the buses were too big to come into villages like Castleton, after various incidents, including a sheep being killed, crashes and parked cars being damaged by the big vehicles trying to squeeze through narrow streets.

"These villages aren't appropriate for the big buses. The service is a good idea on the whole but they have to look at it from the villagers' point of view.

"They should only have the big buses to Hutton le Hole and Blakey and then put the passengers on to smaller buses because it's making life unbearable here."

Coun Hogson said: "They should only expand the service when they get past capacity but they're nowhere near capacity yet."

However, Bill Breakell, head of tourism and transport at the national park, said there were no plans to expand the service, and it had, in fact, been reduced as a result of Danby Group Parish Council's concerns.

He added that he was not aware of any Moorsbus killing a sheep but accepted there were traffic congestion problems in Castleton.

But Mr Breakell said they could not transfer passengers on to smaller buses at Hutton le Hole, as this would almost double the cost of the scheme.

He also refuted the claims that no-one used the buses, explaining that, as a recreational service, passenger numbers were dependent on weather and other factors, but added that the bus was full at other places in the national park.

"There are fewer people on the buses at the end of the services, in places like Castleton, but earlier on often it is standing room only.

"I know there are difficulties with congestion in places like Castleton and we are asking the county council to find ways around that.

"But the reason the service is provided is to try to ease congestion throughout the park, so that people without a car can get to the park and to persuade motorists to leave their cars and use public transport for the day."

Members of the council decided to invite Mr Breakell to their next meeting to discuss the issue.