Big trouble on the buses

It is never going to be easy running a bus service in a city like York. Narrow, traffic-clogged streets, one way systems and the restrictions imposed by the historic city walls all make this a city where running buses regularly and on time is a tall order.

But if the dream of getting people out of their cars and back on to public transport is ever to become a reality, a bus service we can rely on is essential.

Right now there is a feeling in York - among passengers and bus drivers alike - that we are not getting the service we deserve.

Despite an investment of £1.3 million last year alone, First York buses all too often just aren't getting passengers where they want to go on time.

No one can blame First York bosses for the difficulties caused by the recent floods. The bus company, like all other public service providers, has pulled out all the stops to try to keep at least the semblance of a regular service going.

But even before the floods, confusing timetables, routes that were constantly being changed and buses that ran late, didn't stop or failed to turn up at all were all taking their toll on the loyalty of frustrated passengers.

Karen Sheridan, a 26-year-old York Minster receptionist, admits she has finally given up trying to use the bus to get in to work from her Woodthorpe home because she can't be sure she will get to work on time. In Kent where she used to live the buses were quite expensive - but at least they were reliable. In York, they are not.

Karen says on one occasion a half-empty bus failed to stop - leaving her with a half-hour wait until the next one.

Another time a bus failed to turn up at all, so she missed an appointment completely.

Even when buses do turn up, she adds, there is no way passengers can get to their destinations on time - because the bus timetables don't leave enough time for drivers to cope with York's congested rush-hour traffic.

"There is no way you can leave Woodthorpe at 8.30am and be in town at 8.50. It's just not possible," she says. "I've gone back to using my car because I was so completely disenchanted.

"Public transport facilities in York are appalling. It is just pot luck."

Karen isn't the only bus-user fed up with the state of the city's bus services. The Evening Press has been deluged with letters of bus complaints.

Strensall bus-user Barbara Strangeway wrote to the Press earlier this month to complain the service to and from her village was getting worse by the day.

"The buses, some of which should be scrapped, are often very late or do not arrive," she wrote.

"Elderly passengers have to stand waiting, holding shopping, without seating or shelter. Passengers cannot rely on getting to the station or a dental appointment on time. No wonder people prefer their cars."

Mechanical engineer John Hart, also of Strensall, uses the No 3 bus to get into the city for shopping or to go to the railway station. In theory, he says, it should be a good service, running every 15 minutes. But it is regularly between ten to 20 minutes late for the round trip - and once earlier this year his bus didn't turn up at all.

"I was due to catch a train. My bus didn't turn up, nor did next one so I was two hours late for my appointment." In May this year, the 53-year-old engineer adds, several regular travellers were completely thrown by an unannounced change in timetables which left many stranded and late for work. "We were waiting to catch the 6.52 service, but only time found out the bus had been changed when we all missed it. At least half a dozen of us were left standing waiting for the 7.26am."

So what is wrong with York's bus services?

The root of the problem seems to be that because of the comparatively low pay - new drivers earn just £4.95 an hour - and unsociable hours, First York, which runs most city centre services including Park and Ride, is finding it difficult to recruit enough drivers.

One driver, who didn't want to be named for fear of losing his job, said that on some days, despite a system of 'spare' drivers to cover for sickness and holidays, there were simply not enough drivers to run all the services.

With school-runs and the Park and Ride services being given top priority, ordinary passengers were being made to suffer, he said. "There are buses off the road left, right and centre because there are not the drivers to cover them," he claims.

Very often it is the drivers themselves who bear the brunt of people's anger. "You will pull up at a bus stop and the passengers will say 'what happened to the last bus?'," the driver says.

"You say, 'look, I'm only driving them,' but we do feel sorry for the public."

This leads to low morale and stress - which only adds to the problem.

Because of low morale, the driver says, as fast as the company recruits new drivers, others are leaving. With such a rapid turnover, some new drivers are being sent out without even knowing the routes properly, he claimed.

"They just give them a map, or they say 'you've got a busload of passengers, they know where they are going'."

First York managing director Brian Asquith denies this, insisting all new drivers are given ten days route training before they start driving passengers.

But he agrees that, because some of the York routes are so complex and variable, mistakes are sometimes made.

He also admits some services have had to be cancelled recently because of high levels of sickness. "We do carry spare drivers to cover for holidays and sickness," he says, "but a sudden increase in sickness has caused problems. Our drivers are doing their very best to ensure our services operate. They do an excellent job in what are often very difficult conditions, the horrendous traffic congestion in York being one example."

Dave Bolton of the Transport and General Workers Union which represents drivers accepts that running a bus service in York is not easy - but says York people should be able to expect better.

"Non-residents of York are getting a premier service (Park and Ride) and its citizens deserve a premier service too. At the moment they are not getting it," he says.

This could be about to change. First York is about to launch the biggest consultation of the future of the city's bus services ever seen in York: and it could, says Brian Asquith, be the 'first step in giving York a public transport network we can all be proud of.'

Fares zoning, announced today, could be the beginning of possibly the biggest shake-up ever in the city's bus services. From next spring maybe - just maybe - the city will have the buses it deserves.

* Tomorrow: a bus network for the 21st century