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A bus driver is being investigated after he accelerated past a large group of passengers leaving them stranded in Marsden.

The 17-strong group were at a stop on Manchester Road as they took part in the 'Marsden by Accident' guided walk during the 4th World Congress of Psychogeography.

Walk leader, Chris Marsden, had planned the journey for more than two months, only to be left abandoned with a group of tourists after the driver of the 184 service to Manchester refused to stop.

He says they were all standing by the stop near Fall Lane ready to board the bus as quickly as possible.

The driver indicated he was stopping but there was dismay when it sailed past, leaving them high and dry.

With the next bus not due for two hours, Mr Marsden was forced to abandon the plan to visit the site of a 19th century accident at Owler's Farm, about one-and-a-half miles west of the village towards Manchester.

His disappointment has been compounded after First Bus took five weeks to apologise but then refused to tell him why the driver had failed to stop.

Mr Marsden had made enquiries with First Bus last July to see if he would be allowed to get 30 adults on board the 1.07pm service on Sunday, September 8.

A First Bus customer service spokesperson told him it would be fine if there was space on the bus and the fare would be £1.50.

He decided to cut the group down to 20 to reduce the risk of having too many to board.

Mr Marsden complained to the bus company on the day of the incident but only received a response on Monday this week, five weeks after it occurred.

The response apologises and confirms the "driver will be interviewed" but says they cannot divulge the outcome of the meeting due to data protection laws.

Mr Marsden, the former chairman of Huddersfield Civic Society, said he was "baffled" by his whole experience of dealing with First Bus.

He said: "The bus indicated to stop and then it stopped indicating and sped up, driving straight past us.

"We had people from across the UK and from overseas on the walk, which connects places in Marsden where people named Marsden had accidents.

"I had researched and rehearsed this walk and the bus route.

"We walked it several times and had put a lot of effort into it.

"It's not a tragedy as we just went to Tunnel End instead but it's just baffling as to why a driver would choose not to stop and very hard to understand why First won't explain to us why it didn't.

"They ought to be embarrassed by a complete service failure but they're unable to give any explanation.

"Why would anyone bother to complain if they're going to refuse to tell you the outcome.

"It's a strange procedure."

First Bus has been approached for comment.