A MAJOR investment in the town's bus services has been welcomed by the chairman of a Keighley Town Council committee.

Councillor Michael Westerman, chairman of the council's watch and transport committee, was responding to the news from Transdev, which has spent £2 million on new buses and rebranded its local services.

He said: “The council has a policy of buying locally whenever it can, so I'm sure my fellow members will be delighted to know these buses have all been built in Yorkshire and will have created employment in auto-engineering.

"I understand the eventual investment could be up to £2.5 million in Keighley."

Cllr Westerman also welcomed the re-branding of the local buses as ‘The Keighley Bus Company’.

He said: “Starting in 1901, Keighley Borough Council ran its own trams, trolleybuses and motorbuses for 31 years, all branded as Keighley Corporation Tramways.

"Later, the council had a part-share in the operation of the red and cream buses of the Keighley-West Yorkshire Company, which took over from the Corporation, so it’s great to see a Keighley Bus Company now reappearing.

"There’s a lot of civic pride and local transport history here, and I’m very glad to see Transdev is recognising that."