Regular train travellers between Wakefield and Pontefract are being offered free rides.

This is to make up for months of disruption on the route when all services were cancelled and replaced by buses.

People who live near the line will be able to apply by post for 1,000 free weekly rail and bus cards.

Passengers will also be able to get free refreshments for a fixed period.

The situation has improved greatly since the dark days of last autumn

Mick Lyons

There will also be free travel for educational visits by local schools.

The offers have been announced by Metro which coordinates public transport in West Yorkshire.

Between last October and June of this year many Arriva Trains Northern were replaced by buses because of a shortage of drivers.

A compensation package has now been worked out between Metro and Arriva.

Regular travellers

As well as free travel for Wakefield to Pontefract users, compensation is also being offered for other regular travellers.

Vouchers redeemable against rail tickets will be posted to annual and quarterly Metrocard holders.

Annual cardholders will receive a voucher for �50 while quarterly cardholders will receive a voucher for �20.

For non-regular passengers there is the offer of reduced price day rover tickets on seven Saturdays in the autumn.

Training targets

The chairman of Metro, Mick Lyons, said: "I am pleased to say that the situation has improved greatly since the dark days of last autumn when services were being cancelled on an ad hoc basis.

"Passengers were being left on platforms without a clue whether their trains would arrive or not.

"Arriva Trains Northern were as good as their word and met the recruitment and training targets which Metro laid down."