CELEBRATIONS to mark the 50th anniversary of the Yorkshire Dales National Park could be marred by a reduction in the number of buses travelling to and from the region, according to a passengers organisation.

The Yorkshire Dales Public Transport Users Group says cost-cutting will mean there could be a cut of up to 30 per cent in services running from conurbations such as Leeds, Bradford and York and across the Pennines in Lancashire this summer.

Members pointed out that the reduction would be at odds with one of the main thrusts of the anniversary, which aims to encourage more people to use buses to reach the countryside.

"The national park has commendably incorporated a theme of reaching out to the park's surrounding communities," said users group chairman Howard Handley.

"However, it is clear there has been little thought as to how they might actually be able to do so. The level of service to the national park will be significantly less this year than last. These cuts just don't make sense.''

A spokesman for the national park said it appeared other authorities may have agreed cuts because of a reduction in the level of grant offered by the Countryside Agency.

However, a senior member and North Yorkshire county councillor, John Blackie, said the fact that many of the services were funded by a number of agencies made the dales public transport system vulnerable.