PLANS to lay on a night bus home for clubbers from a North Yorkshire town have come under fire from city residents.

County council planners are currently working on a scheme to provide a late-night bus to Easingwold from the nightclubs of York, which became possible after the town council secured funding from the Countryside Agency.

The idea is very popular in Easingwold, where historically, young people have had to shell out for shared taxis to get home from clubs such as Toffs and ikon/diva.

The night bus is likely to start from the Eye of York, where it would make its first collection at the Gallery nightclub.

But the people living near Tower Street and Clifford Street fear they will suffer late-night noise problems when the bus starts, later this year.

Win Derbyshire, who lives in South Esplanade, said: "I read with interest that in Easingwold, councillors were worried about the noise of the club people arriving back, and that the police will be on hand.

"I wondered if there wouldn't be a similar need round here, if this is where the bus is going to start.

"I'd be concerned about it, and about the lack of toilets for them to use if they're in a bus queue and get caught short.

"I also have a neighbour who has only just started getting a good night's sleep because the skaters at Clifford's Tower have been stopped by some new grass. This wouldn't help him."

But Ian Pearson, North Yorkshire County Council's eastern planning and development officer, said locals had no need to worry.

"These plans are very far from being set in tablets of stone at the moment," he said.

"And in any case, this bus is only going to be a minibus or some such. It's highly unlikely you'd have hordes of Easingwold people pouring out of one particular nightclub and becoming a nuisance. It wouldn't be that many people.

"The route, and the pick-up points, will be properly discussed with the bus operator once things are confirmed."

Anyone wanting to make representations to the council can write to Ian Pearson, North Yorkshire County Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AH.

Updated: 11:36 Friday, September 20, 2002