BUSINESS chiefs want to see York's park and ride scheme extended to Sundays, in an attempt to revolutionise weekend shopping in the city.

Roland Harris, chief executive of the York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, says the bus service could be instrumental in overhauling York's Sunday trading patterns.

He said: "The chamber is a supporter of the park and ride scheme. However we are looking for a Sunday service.

"We also want to see the service extended before Christmas this year, with longer hours and a higher frequency to keep shoppers coming into the city.

"We have flagged it up with the council that we want to see these new arrangements."

If the Sunday service were to be introduced, Mr Harris said it might persuade more businesses to open up on the traditional day of rest.

"There is a growing demand for shops and services in York to be open on a Sunday," he added.

The plans have been discussed at length by the chamber's retail committee, due to meet again next week.

John Fletcher, commercial manager with First York, said: "If there is a call for the park and ride schemes to be introduced on a Sunday then we would have to consider it.

"It has large rota and timetabling implications, but we do have the capacity to deal with that."

He said that a one-day trial took place one Sunday last year and it was a "flop".

"For us to run the scheme, it would have to be commercially viable," he said.

"If it was not, then the council or traders would have to subsidise it."

Dave Pearson, principal transport planner with City of York Council, said: "It is one of the issues we are discussing with First York concerning park and ride.

"We are keen to see an expansion of the scheme, but it comes down to the commercial risk the bus company would be prepared to take to run the service."

Updated: 10:07 Saturday, January 20, 2001