As Evening Press readers complain in force about First York's new Metro Service, thisisyork's reporter got on board buses across the city today to get a view from the back seat

"My boss was going to sack me, thanks to these buses," Lesley Thackeray exclaimed while waiting for a bus in Clarence Street.

"Last week, they were a shambles. I live in Acomb and leave work at 8pm. It was 9.15pm when I finally got off the bus, last Thursday.

"It's just appalling. Even now, I am stuck waiting here. It's not a good service and I'm not happy.

"I have been late for work and almost got sacked. I have been trying to ring First York but I can't get through."

If you think this is an isolated response to First York's new Metro service then, sadly, you would be mistaken.

For speaking to passengers on and off buses in York, a depressing picture of confusion, delay and frustration emerges.

At a cost of £11.9 million, the Metro service had a lot to live up to. It was always going to be a hard task.

But billed as the future of transport in the city, passenger expectations were high.

There have been problems of which the Copmanthorpe calamity is just the latest.

And commuters have not been shy to vent their spleens when asked to give their views on the new service.

"It's rubbish," Ray Dickinson said as he stepped off the number 27 in Piccadilly.

"I've come from Water Lane, in Clifton, and I can't tell when the buses are going to arrive. The timetable doesn't say.

"I waited at the bus stop this morning for 15 minutes and then two buses came at once."

On board the Claret Line number ten service, Carol Roberts, of Poppleton, said: "We used to go down Leeman Road. It was much better that way. Now we get caught in traffic. Under the old route, we would be in York by now. The buses are supposed to come every 20 minutes but, given the traffic, that's just not realistic.

"I feel sorry for the drivers because it's not their fault."

June Lawson, also of Poppleton, added: "I hope it goes back to the old route. I can't understand why it has changed. I just want it changed back."

Change it back. It's a damning verdict for the James Street company's flagship service.

"They changed the services but didn't really tell us about it," said Denise Lansell, of Clifton Moor.

"Clifton has always been a bit of a problem but we were hoping the new service would help.

"I don't think much of First York. They don't seem to have any idea what we want."

A spokesman for First York said: "We recognise that there have been individual cases where buses have run late and people have experienced problems with the new network.

"We don't like to see this but, with any new network of this size, there will be teething problems.

"In the following weeks, we would expect to see things settle down. Our drivers and all our staff are working very hard to give York a public transport service they can be proud of."

Updated: 15:10 Wednesday, October 03, 2001