CAMPAIGNERS in West Yorkshire staged a last-ditch tour of transport centres calling on passengers to support demands to take bus services back into public control.

The drive came ahead of the closure of a public consultation over the issue on Sunday.

Carrying a banner and a 12,000 signature petition, campaigners visited transport interchanges in Bradford, Halifax, Huddersfield, Wakefield and Leeds before marching on the offices of West Yorkshire’s Labour mayor to hand in the petition.

Labour MPs were among the campaigners, including Kim Leadbeater, for Batley and Spen.

She said: “This public vote on taking buses into local control is really important and I would urge everyone to take part. 

“We want a network that works in the interests of the public, not private profit.”

John Ingleson, a hospital worker and member of public-sector union Unison, said: “So many NHS staff finish a hard shift only to be charged an arm and a leg to get home, often much later than planned. 

“Quite often it is a chaotic service to endure.”