YORK is bucking the national trend by attracting more passengers back on the buses, according to Jonathan May, managing director of city transport company First.

Mr May was speaking today as parent company First Group - the UK's largest bus operator with services in more than 40 towns and cities - announced an annual turnover of £2.29 billion up to March 31, up six per cent from the previous year.

The increase was driven by growth in revenues across its US yellow school bus network, its UK bus operations and its rail franchises.

First Group saw operating profits from its UK bus services before costs increase by six per cent to £859.4 million.

Mr May said passenger numbers in York had risen by 784,000 to 9.8 million last year. He said: "We have got some of the highest growth figures, with year on year growth in excess of eight per cent in terms of passenger numbers.

"UK bus volumes are up 1.5 per cent, but in York our passenger numbers are much higher than that. We are bucking the national trend.

"York benefited from the investment from the group in over 100 new vehicles and we have invested in a further six 'bendy' buses.

"Our focus is in driving passenger numbers up, getting more and more people to use our buses and providing the services which the people of York deserve."

Mr May said Park and Ride passenger numbers in York had risen by 12 per cent.

First Group said it was bidding for a number of rail franchises, despite missing out on the short-list for the new Greater Anglia franchise.

Updated: 15:11 Wednesday, May 14, 2003