A BUS company has explained why it decided not to bid to continue running York’s Park & Ride service.

First York, which has operated the service for more than two decades, said it believed the tender specification set by City of York Council could not be operated on a commercially sustainable basis.

Managing director Marc Bichtemann was speaking after the authority revealed it had received no satisfactory bids to manage the service.

The council said that when it opened a tender process for bus operators to bid for the new contract, it had been confident it would attract a number of high profile bids.

But although there was ‘strong interest,’ no responses meeting the council’s financial expectations against the specification tendered had been received. However, it was confident an operator would be secured in coming months to run what was one of the UK’s most successful Park&Ride services.

According to a council report published yesterday, bus companies had said they could not meet the council’s financial and quality expectations and run the Park & Ride at a profit.

Mr Bichtemann said: “We are pleased that we have been asked to continue to operate the York Park&Ride contract for a further six months, and we will endeavour to ensure that our customers receive a high quality service.

“We look forward to receiving details of the alterations to the tender specification from City of York Council, which should allow us to seek to bid again for the contract.”

The Press asked First whether its decision was related to issues such as environmental demands, fares, the frequency of service or a council demand that either the Fulford Park & Ride bus should continue to stop as it currently does along Fulford Road, or that an alternative service should be provided to ensure residents could continue to access services along the road.

It also asked what alterations to the tender specification would allow First to seek to bid again for the contract.

A spokeswoman said it was "unable to comment on specifics at this time," adding: “We have maintained an open dialogue with City of York Council during the process, and look forward to receiving details of the alterations to the tender specification.”

Faced with the lack of bids, the council first announced it would extend First’s current contract but papers now show officers want to make that 12 months.

The council’s executive will next week be asked to take £100,000 out of reserves to fund a shortfall in income caused by the year’s extension.