Real people please (From York Press)

Real people please

9:53am Wednesday 13th June 2012 in Letters

THE York council newspaper reveals that York’s bus services have been awarded £4.5 million of funding.

This will go towards a new smartcard system, and improving bus stops and shelters and providing real-time displays.

But have we locals been consulted over what we want? How about reinstating bus services axed over the last few years?

The current real-time displays often break down, so what about a real person in a real office giving useful information?

Many locals still lament the loss of the bus inquiry office in George Hudson Street.

We were told that libraries would stock timetables, but York central library never has more than half of current local timetables and many of these are out-of-date. As I write, the Arriva service 42 and Ripon timetables in the library are old and obsolete, which is not acceptable.

Since the revamp the library foyer is stark and cold and devoid of atmosphere.

What about a staffed bus info helpdesk with a real person and up-to-date timetables and information?

Heather Smith, Front Street, Acomb, York.

• AS the council has been awarded £4.5 million to improve local bus information then I hope it will think about re-opening the bus information office.

We have seven million visitors in York each year but no bus station or information inquiry office. There are bus info offices in Scarborough, Harrogate, Driffield, Beverley and three in Doncaster.

Those people who rely on buses are often the oldest and poorest members of society who don’t have computers for information. Telephone helplines are all very well but holding the phone in one hand and making notes with the other is awkward for most people.

Surely it would only need a fraction of the figure awarded to York to reinstate an information centre.

P D James, Wains Road, Dringhouses, York.