The new Metro is the biggest investment in public transport York has ever had. We are working hard to iron out the teething problems and deliver a bus network of which to be proud.

But we're not there yet, and I must apologise to those customers who have arrived late for work or who have had difficulty using the new system.

The final Metro network was arrived at after our biggest public consultation period which gave people throughout the area the chance to influence the system in place today.

I am setting up a programme of community roadshows for the new year to give customers the chance to tell us what they think about the Metro and help us shape the networks of the future.

One of the most important elements of the Metro is the delivery of 98 new buses. These will all arrive by the end of February and replace the entire fleet of older buses, improving reliability and offering new standards in accessibility and cleanliness.

First York is investing £11 million in these new buses and it clearly demonstrates our commitment to improving public transport in the city.

Thirty four of the new buses are already here, and more are arriving each week.

Customers on Blue Line 1 will be pleased to know that 12 new double deck buses will arrive early in November bringing much needed extra capacity on this busy route.

But new buses are only good if they run on time.

Along with my managing director Brian Asquith and representatives from the city council, I have been out and about checking buses to see how the timetable is working.

Although there are problems, especially on Line 13 to Copmanthorpe, most of our services have now settled in and are running on time.

We're not being complacent but we are confident we are on target to deliver what we have promised, a network of reliable and frequent bus services.

As part of this commitment we have already adjusted the timings on Line 10 to improve reliability.

The road works on the A64 at Copmanthorpe are causing us real problems. Contrary to some reports, we did know they were going to take place.

But we were told the works, now taking place, would start next January.

That would have given the Metro network time to settle in.

However, faced with the disruption we have tried three different route variations to get around the roadworks and to keep the buses running on time.

Some reports have blamed the late running of buses on driver shortages.

Normally we have enough drivers to run all the buses in the timetable.

We also have a small number of stand-by drivers who cover driver-sickness and holidays. But from time to time drivers leave us, though not in the numbers being rumoured, and they only have to give a week's notice.

Because it takes eight weeks to train a new driver, this can sometimes leave us with a shortfall.

To address this constant challenge we are running a series of recruitment adverts, some in local cinemas, encouraging potential drivers - male and female - to come forward.

One complaint that really isn't our fault is the increase in school bus fares.

We operate the school bus contracts under contract to City of York Council.

The new £1.20 flat fare was introduced by them on all school buses throughout the area.

In the city we are waiting for the introduction of a range of new traffic management measures to be introduced by the council which will help improve traffic flows and keep the buses running on time.

The Metro is designed to make public transport easier to understand and easier to use.

This will encourage more people to think about taking the bus instead of using their cars.

All of us at First York are committed to making the Metro a success.

There's still much to do and I welcome anyone who has a comment to make, be it good or bad, to write to me at our offices in James Street.

Updated: 10:48 Thursday, October 04, 2001