TRANSPORT bosses have found a company to run park and ride services in York, but the deal will leave the city council £85,000 down next year.

The future of the bus services has been uncertain since October last year, when in emerged not a single company had put forward a viable bid for the work. Current contractor First Bus extended its contract by a year, and now the city council says it has found a new deal that will secure the future of the service.

York Press:

Cllr Ian Gillies, City of York Council’s executive member for transport, said he welcomed the new service.

“The more people who use our park and ride system, which is already one of the most comprehensive in the country, the less congested our roads will be and the better our air quality.

“I’m confident that we will be able to negotiate a contract which will benefit both the residents and visitors who use this service and to secure park and ride in York for years to come.”

The new contract will be put to senior councillors for approval next week, and if it goes ahead will see more low emission buses working the routes, and overnight parking at some sites.

The proposals will see overnight parking allowed at Askham Bar and Monks Cross - giving overnight visitors a way to get into the city without their cars.

Three new electric double-decker buses will arrive for the Monks Cross route, as well as 11 electric single-decker buses for the Poppleton and Grimston Bar services; but the new service will not reach previously held ambitious for all the park and ride buses to be electric.

The contract also bypasses hopes for late evening opening, and councillors are being urged to accept a deal that will not include extended evening services. At the same time, council figures show the new deal will bring in considerably less money, meaning the authority will have to find an extra £85,000 in its budgets to cover the shortfall.