BUS passengers are suffering traffic chaos on a roadwork-hit road - because transport bosses ignored warnings to change a busy route.

City of York Council's transport planners have admitted that little was done to counter delays to First York services caused by work at the Copmanthorpe junction on the A64.

One councillor said there had been a "breakdown in communications" between the authority and First York.

Commuters using the new Metro service have suffered lengthy journey delays at the Copmanthorpe junction because of work by the Highways Agency to remove traffic lights.

But at a meeting of the Liberal Democrats' shadow executive committee, members were told by ward councillor David Livesley that delays should have been expected.

Speaking at the meeting, Coun Livesley said both First York and the council should have known about the scheme, taking place over 64 weeks, for some time.

He said: "The service problems have filled me with incredulity. As soon as the scheme came through, it was known the A64 works would last for 64 weeks.

"Why has it taken us until the works started to see the problem? It was discussed by the parish council and by the community.

"Drivers wouldn't dream of using the road, so why was it still a bus route?"

Dave Pearson, the council's head of transport planning, said: "The route had perhaps not been given the fullest consideration.

"It should have been. Now we are trying to fix things after they have already been broken."

After the meeting, Coun Livesley added: "There seems to have been a breakdown in communication between the council and First York.

"Preparations and reports were made to show this problem would arise. They appear to have brought this problem on themselves."

When contacted, First York commercial manager John Fletcher said: "I have absolutely no comment to make."

Meanwhile, the Evening Press has also learned that commuters were able to travel for free last Thursday afternoon.

Operations manager Paul Bell ordered a relief bus to take over the number 18 service after the previous driver was taken ill at the wheel.

The new driver was told not to accept any fares from passengers in recognition of the disruption.

Mr Bell said: "I know of one instance when I gave instructions not to take fares on the number 18 bus.

"One afternoon journey was missed because the driver had been taken ill en route and we had to send a relief bus out."

Acomb resident Maureen Williams was not charged on two separate occasions as she travelled to and from the MacArthurGlen designer outlet village.

A special bus was in York today to monitor congestion problems.

The Congestion buster, manned by workers at the National Federation of Bus Users, was looking to find traffic problems for a dossier it is producing.

Updated: 15:05 Wednesday, October 03, 2001