CAMPAIGNERS fear a bus service could be scrapped before local people have tabled an official protest.

Residents in the Masham area were just completing a survey to show there was a need for the timetabled service between Masham and Bedale, via Thornton Watlass, when North Yorkshire County Council announced a new service.

But instead of a timetabled operation, the county council wants to replace the buses with a book-before-you-travel community bus system.

The issue was raised at a Masham Parish Council meeting this week when the chairman, Coun Andy Burrell, said: "The booking scheme is the worst possible scenario. This issue is of major importance to the community and we were just getting our responses organised to send to the county council."

Coun Burrell said some of the survey forms had yet to be completed. He added that without pre-bookings, no buses would run.

General reaction at the parish council meeting had been one of dismay, said Coun Burrell. He forecast that bus users would be caused real problems by the proposed system.

The chairman believed that services were not being well supported because they were not running at the right times.

Local people needed a service to get to and from work, to keep hospital appointments in Northallerton, for school activities, nightclubs and shopping.

They were also needed to support the area's growing tourism trade.

The parish council voted unanimously to oppose the county's booking proposal, expressing its "strongest possible concern" over the issue.

Richard Owens, assistant director of integrated passenger transport at North Yorkshire County Council, said: "The service between Masham and Bedale is being replaced by services provided by Little Red Bus. For an inital period of three months, the service will operate scheduled journeys, allowing passengers to become familiar with the new operator.

"After that, it is envisaged that the service will operate on demand and will need to be pre-booked," said Mr Owens.

Bookings should be made via the Little Red Bus, operated by Harrogate and District Community Transport, on 01423-526655. The final day of the existing service is Saturday, April 26. The first Little Red Bus service will be on Monday, April 28.