ELECTRIC buses have returned to York's roads one week after a devastating fire grounded them.

Operator First York has confirmed its fleet of eco-friendly vehicles are being put back into service one by one following the completion of rigorous safety checks.

The remaining 11 buses were forced to undergo inspections when the Number nine from Monks Cross burst into flames when it broke down at a bus stop in Stonebow. But four are back in service yesterday and the full fleet are expected to be back in operation by the weekend.

Flames erupted from the engine at the rear and blew out several windows as it ripped through the single-decker.

Stonebow was closed for two hours while fire fighters tackled the blaze and the road was repaired by council workmen.

Manufacturer Optare was called in to carry out the safety tests, while separate checks were also completed by First York's engineers before the first buses returned to the streets yesterday.

A spokesman for First York, who previously said the buses would return to their city routes at the end of this week, told The Press: "We always said once the vehicles were checked they would be back in action.

"Once we were satisfied the checks were completed we were always going to return them to service

"Some have gone back in to play but I have asked for an indication about when the others will go back into service.

"Theses will be when the checks are completed. These aren’t just checks our engineering team are doing, they are checks by the manufacturers as well and have obviously taken time.

"The checks will be a continuing and the buses will be going back in when they are completed."