I'd like to say thank you to Councillor Tracey Simpson-Laing for pushing for some answers with regard to pre-pay bus tickets for use on the FTR services and, potentially, other city-wide services. It seems that no-one else is bothering.

Though not likely to be reduced to abject poverty by having to pre-pay, my dispute with the system of pre-payment is that I live virtually on the number six bus route, but there is no pay-point anywhere near where I live. My nearest pay-point is at Spar, Clifton (nearly two miles away). If I have to walk there to buy a ticket, I may as well walk into town and have done with it.

As for Coun Anne Reid's reassurances about being able to buy a ticket on the bus, well, I'm not convinced. I had heard that the whole idea of FTR was to make it a 'cash-free' bus. That doesn't sound very compatible with the idea of buying tickets on board the bus.

In fact, of all I have managed to find out about FTR - which is precious little - the only good point is that the drivers will be better protected from potential assaults since they will no longer have direct contact with their passengers.

Richard Greaves,

Morehall Close, York.

Updated: 09:58 Monday, April 17, 2006