YORK’S new eight-year park and ride deal has been confirmed, around seven months after it emerged no companies were prepared to take on the job.

When the contract first went out to tender last year, no companies made an acceptable bid for the work because, it was understood, the terms City of Council were imposing made the deal look unattractive and unprofitable.

A sticking point was said to be the requirement for electric buses, and bus companies’ fears batteries could fail and leave them facing repair bills worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The new deal will see three of the routes using 14 electric buses, with 24 low emission “Euro VI” standard diesel buses running elsewhere.

Green group leader Cllr Andy D’Agorne welcomed that result as a “significant improvement” on the initial plan, but said the contract had missed an opportunity to stop idling engines polluting the city centre.

He said: “It’s disappointing that whilst the contract can specify the maximum length of grass at a park and ride site, but it can’t tell drivers to turn off their engines at air quality black spots like Rougier Street.”

However Dave Merrett, a former councillor who once held the transport brief, told the current executive the new plan ignored the vital need to improve air quality by getting diesel buses off the roads.

At the same meeting, the council’s executive committee approved a £4 million funding plan for roads and city centre improvements.

It includes £500,000 for resurfacing on Fossgate, and money for pothole repairs and upgrades to cycling facilities.

Neil Ferris, highways and transport director, said improving cycle routes and encouraging people on to two wheels was one of the few levers the council could pull to deal with air pollution or transport problems.

“We are the third highest cycling city in the country, behind Cambridge and Oxford. My objective is to raise that so we are exceeding Cambridge and Oxford. We are a small, flat city ideally suited for cyclists.”

More reports will come back to councillors in coming months with details of specific projects the money will go on.