IT is very sad the Bus Info Centre in George Hudson Street, York is to close soon.

It's even more unbelievable when one considers that towns as small as Pocklington and Malton have a bus station and inquiry office.

The staff are extremely helpful and it is far from ideal that local bus telephone inquiries will be redirected to Hull.

With congestion and delays in York, race traffic and numerous road-works, it is a wonder that the Bus Info staff have been able to provide such a good service, both in public and over the telephone, seven days a week.

While I'm sure staff in Hull will have training, their knowledge, expertise and accuracy will not compare to that currently available.

Will they really know the names of local pubs, where rush-hour traffic is worst or what diversions take place when roads are resurfaced or accidents occur?

For years I refused to use the National Rail Inquiries line in Newcastle, run by BT staff, due to being given too much incorrect information.

Now, a national newspaper survey has revealed up to 75 per cent of calls to the rail inquiries call centre in India are given misleading and incorrect information.

How long will it be before York bus inquiries are re-routed from Hull to London, or even the Far East?

Paul Brown,

The Beeches,

York.

AFTER recent letters, I feel it is important to be clear how services provided by the Bus Info Centre in York will be replaced following its closure.

Residents will still be able to phone the same number - 01904 551400 - to make inquiries which will go through to the regional travel centre.

The new Cityscape kiosks at the Railway Station, George Hudson Street and university provide information on specific journeys and will print a personalised map.

Information is available through the council website. Timetables and brochures will be available at a far wider range of locations than now so people will be able to pick up information locally.

Funding for the ftr route improvements comes from the Government-funded Local Transport Plan grant, whereas the Bus Info Centre is funded by council tax and therefore these resources cannot be transferred.

It is a great shame York received £225,000 less funding for bus passes than it cost to provide them.

Had this money been provided fully, we would have been able to retain the Bus Info Centre. We had to make choices with the Government resources provided, and felt it essential to protect the subsidised bus services that provide a lifeline to rural communities or allow people to get to work.

Tokens remain at £40 this year - still a huge rise from just £26 offered by Labour before 2003.

There is no duty for an authority to provide tokens, but Liberal Democrats believe those without access to buses must not lose their entitlement completely.

Finally, some correspondents have commented about the photos of me which The Press uses to accompany articles - sadly, I have no control over this. I only wish I had.

Coun Ann Reid,

Executive member for Planning and Transport,

Grassholme,

York.

Updated: 09:54 Saturday, May 13, 2006