A TEENAGE girl who is bravely battling leukaemia has slammed the axing of a bus service between her village and York District Hospital, where she receives vital medical treatment.

Katrina Allardyce and her mother, Mary, are among many residents protesting about bus company First's decision to end the service between Skelton and Clifton Moor, which also stopped at the hospital.

Katrina, 16, needs twice-weekly check-ups at the hospital.

Since the bus link stopped earlier this month, she has travelled by taxi to the hospital, which costs £6.30 each way.

Katrina, of Brecksfield, Skelton, said: "The bus should be there for us to use. It wasn't just me that needed it. There were lots of other people in Skelton that used that bus."

Mum-of-four Mary added: "First said only seven people a week used that bus, but that is rubbish. There are a lot of older people in Skelton, people without cars. They got the bus to Clifton Moor to shop or to go to Clifton Moorgate surgery.

"The hospital pay for our taxis, but money is not the issue. It should not be coming out of the taxpayer's pocket. The option for us to travel on the bus should be there."

First's commercial manager, Peter Edwards, said the Allardyces' situation was "very unfortunate".

But he said the Skelton to Clifton Moor service had been withdrawn after First had received information confirming the service was poorly used.

The money the service was making was not covering the salary of the bus driver, Mr Edwards said.

"The situation is unfortunate and we are very sorry. But unfortunately we are a business and there are commercial issues here."

Mr Edwards said the only chance of the service returning would be if public money was made available to subsidise it.

First would put forward a tender for any subsidised service if tenders were invited, Mr Edwards added.

Updated: 10:46 Saturday, September 28, 2002