New bus services giving York-area villages better links with the city were taking to the roads today as part of a Government pilot scheme.

The 18-month, £185,000 trial by the City of York Council and North Yorkshire County Council, is being backed by Selby MP John Grogan, and will serve communities in the south of the city - some of them without an existing bus service.

The two new services, branded as Connexions, will make use of the existing links to the city centre through the Askham Bar and Grimston Bar park and ride sites.

Service C1 will run between Askham Bar and Tadcaster via the villages of Bishopthorpe, Acaster Malbis, Colton, Appleton Roebuck, Bolton Percy and Oxton.

It means that from today, Bolton Percy has its first bus stop in 30 years.

Commenting on the new service today, Mr Grogan said: "The service gives villages to the south of the A64 a link to Tadcaster for the first time since the war.

"It also gives them - via changes in the Park and Ride - half a dozen opportunities to get into York rather than one or two.

"People without cars will be able to have access to doctor's surgeries, libraries, and so on a lot easier than before. One or two people on the bus this morning say they are even thinking about commuting into York on the bus rather than driving."

Service C2 will follow a circular route from the designer shopping outlet at Naburn via Wheldrake, Elvington, Dunnington, York University and Fulford.

Connections will be offered at Grimston Bar too and from York and also at the designer outlet for York and Selby.

Two peak time Park and Ride journeys will be extended to the Railway Station and York College to provide easier access to these destinations.

The services will be provided by new vehicles painted with distinctive livery and manned by a specialist team of drivers. Coun Dave Merrett, chairman of the council's planning and transport committee, said: "I am pleased to see that the council is able to make an innovative contribution to improving access for people in rural communities.

"These new services offer an opportunity to demonstrate what can be achieved by careful integration of bus services."

Jean Watson of Orchard View, Appleton Roebuck, said of the new service: "I would use it definitely to go to Tadcaster to the doctors and the chemist and the supermarket.

"We've never had a bus to Tadcaster in the 30 years I've lived here. Before this I've always had to get one of my family to take me anywhere in the car." Mary Richardson, also of Appleton Roebuck, added: "I think it's a good thing but it would be better for me if it went right into York. At the moment it stops at Askham Bar."

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