A COOKLEY councillor who has battled to retain an under-threat rural bus to Kidderminster has hailed a further reprieve for the service.

Worcestershire County Council has announced it will continue to fund the 9/9a service on an interim basis for passengers in the area until January 2018.

The service was de-registered back in June and county councillor Gordon Yarranton successfully campaigned for the authority to take it on.

Councillor Yarranton said he felt so strongly about the issue, he resigned from the Conservative Party to become an independent following a row with highways chief Councillor Marcus Hart.

But he welcomed the news the county council would continue the interim measure that has been in place since June.

He said: “I am pleased that Worcestershire County Council will continue to fund the 9/9a service to and from Cookley.

“This is something I have fought for. I promised residents that I would attend meetings with Marcus and highways officers to try to come up with a solution to retain it.

“So it is absolutely brilliant that the service will remain at least until January 2018. This makes my decision to resign from the Conservative Party all the more worthwhile.”

Since the council has been operating the interim service, officers have been gathering data on journey times and passenger numbers.

Last month, Councillor Yarranton told the Shuttle that more than 1,400 people – the majority of which were concessionary pass holders – used the bus in just several weeks.

Councillor Hart, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “The Council has continued to monitor the service and now believes the best outcome would be to include the re-tendering of the 9/9a as part of the Wyre Forest area review planned for October 2017.

“This will allow the Council to engage with commercial operators for a large range of contracts and may provide the best opportunity for the service to be sustainable, the new service would commence in January 2018.

“In the interim, I am pleased to announce that we will be in a position to continue to fund the service until this review is concluded. I can confirm that I have consulted the local member and he is supportive of the proposed extension of the service.”