A GLITZY ceremony today heralded the launch of a new 21st century bus - which will soon be seen out and about on the streets of York.

FirstGroup launched its innovative StreetCar today, promising that "the future of travel has arrived".

The vehicle, which is said to combine the best features of the bus, train and tram, will come to York in January, after the city was chosen as the first area to run the revolutionary motor.

Commuters and shoppers at Monks Cross saw the vehicle get a run-out at the Park&Ride site on Saturday, before today's official launch at the Royal Naval College, in Greenwich, London.

Council leader Steve Galloway, transport chief Ann Reid and First York managing director Jonathan May were there to see the StreetCar put through its paces.

They are pictured boarding the vehicle while it was at Monks Cross.

York has been chosen to trial the new vehicle, which is nicknamed 'f t r' for future, because of the millions First has spent in the city over the last five years.

More than £11 million was invested in a new bus fleet and cash was spent on developing the city's Park&Ride service and bringing bendy-buses to York.

Ten of the £200,000 vehicles will arrive in January and will run on the Service 4, which travels on the route from the University to Acomb.

Jonathan May, First managing director, said: "We are really excited that it is coming to York.

"York is one of the places where we have demonstrated that investment and partnership leads to growth and this is the physical product of that."

The vehicle is longer than the bendy buses, and has two doors from which passengers can board or leave the vehicle.

Passengers will be encouraged to buy their tickets before they board the vehicle and these can then be swiped over a sensor at either door as they step on board.

Its objective is to take ten per cent of car journeys off the roads its serves within five to six years.

Bill Woolley, the council's acting environment chief, said: "We are very much looking forward to the day when it is in use on York's streets.

"Our close working relationship with First Group means that York will be the first city in the entire UK to pilot the vehicle and we see this kind of technology as the way forward for public transport in the city."

Peter Edwards, First commercial director, said: "We see this as one of the most exciting things to happen in public transport for a number of years. It's obvious that cities like York could never aspire to having a tram service, so this is clearly the next best thing."

Updated: 10:11 Thursday, March 10, 2005