The Leeds Black Prince bus owner providing a free Christmas Day service to people in need

As there is no public transport running on December 25, his family and friends assumed he would be having a restful day off with his feet up.

But the transport enthusiast - who bought his own 50 seater Black Prince bus a few years ago - will instead be running a free service to give people who need to get to work or visit sick relatives in hospitals in 
Leeds a lift.

Bradley, 35, from Morley, says it will be great to see a Black Prince bus back on the road.

He said: “It brings back great memories for me as a child.

“We will run from Morley Tingley Mills into Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s Hospital via the city centre and back from 10am until 8pm.

“We are using the old X51 route as there is traditionally no public transport at all on Christmas Day and it just seemed like the right thing to do to offer help.”

He bought the bus when Black Prince Buses of Morley ceased operating a public bus service in 2005. Bradley has since teamed up with Dave Crowther, the son of the former Black Prince owner Brian Crowther, who died in 2007. Ttogether they hope to keep the name of Black Prince Buses alive.

They have opened up a Black Prince website detailing information for bus enthusiasts and also have plans to run nostalgia events and trips to the seaside.

They are now planning celebrations in 2019 to mark the company’s 50th anniversary, since it was 
founded in 1969.

Bradley says a team of volunteers makes it all possible.

He said: “We have run the free bus service each Christmas Day since 2015 and it is well used.

He added: “I don’t have a Christmas dinner on the day, but will have it on Boxing Day.

“We will also be stopping off with food for people who are sleeping rough in city centre Leeds.”

More details about the festive timetable can be found at: http://www.blackprincebuses.co.uk/event-page