IT is tempting to suggest First bosses should think of a new name for York's purple bendy buses.

Instead of the ftr, which is supposed to stand for "future", how about the pst, for "past"?

It is, after all, many years since conductors were last regularly seen taking fares on York buses.

Bus company bosses have finally admitted they do have genuine problems with ticket machines on the buses.

For the time being conductors are being brought in on a temporary basis only, the company insists, to help students arriving in the city work out how to use the on-board machines.

But First commercial director Peter Edwards admitted today: "Everybody knows the ticket machines have been the real Achilles heel. We are desperately trying to find ways to make these work more effectively."

The machines were intended to reduce the time people stood in bus queues waiting to board. The idea was that passengers could all get on the bus, and buy tickets while on the move. The reality has been different. The Press has been deluged with letters, emails and telephone calls from people complaining about delays caused by the machines.

In September, we even ran the story of a York woman who was issued with a ticket that was 26 years out of date. So bad has the situation become, that last month council leader Steve Galloway was forced to warn First bosses that there must be a "substantial improvement" to ticketing systems.

Old-style conductors may help to get the buses running on time in the short-term.

But returning to the past is not a long-term solution. Reliable public transport is crucial in this city to reduce congestion. First bosses must sort out the ticketing fiasco soon so they can go back to doing what they do best - helping people to get there by bus.