TRANSPORT leaders and politicians have reacted with dismay to plans by First York to slash services across the city.

The company has announced a raft of cuts to be made in April, with several evening services axed and other timetables reduced. The link to Leeds-Bradford Airport is also being ditched after two years.

It is the third major shake-up by First in the past year. The company blamed the cuts, first revealed on The Press’s website yesterday, on the recession and a fall in passenger numbers, but city politicians and transport leaders condemned the move.

Damon Copperthwaite, City of York Council’s assistant director of transport, said: “This is a setback to the council’s ambition to encourage more use of the bus and help to reduce the congestion on our streets.”

Evening services will be axed on the Numbers 10 and 13, and part of the Number 12 route. Off-peak services on Numbers 1, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12 and 13 will be reduced from three times to twice an hour, or from twice to once.

Dave Alexander, managing director for First in North and West Yorkshire, said: “During the final quarter of last year, and like many other businesses, we experienced a decline in the number of customers using our services. As a result, regrettably, we are taking action now.”

Coun Steve Galloway, city strategy boss at the council, said he would ask officials to look for other bus companies to fill the gaps left by First. Coun Galloway said: “The overall message from First is a disappointing one. Convenience is a key issue for travellers and we are unlikely to persuade residents to move away from car ownership and use, if off-peak bus services simply don’t exist in significant parts of the city.”

He said he had asked council officials to look for alternative evening services in the areas of the Number 10, 12 and 13.

York Labour leader David Scott called the cuts a “body-blow” for people in inner and outer York.

He said he felt particularly sorry for young people without private transport as an alternative, and said the cuts would damage the evening economy.

He said: “More isolation, social exclusion, dependence upon the car, congestion and poor air quality will be the only outcomes from this ill-conceived ‘slash and burn’ policy.”

Gillian Cruddas, chief executive of Visit York, said: “We’re disappointed that the Airlink service will no longer operate, as this is an excellent service. We will continue to liaise closely with Leeds-Bradford Airport in order to find a long-term solution to providing a direct link between York and the airport.”

•York-based rail company Grand Central can now press ahead with a fourth daily direct train service from York to London after winning the final go-ahead from the Office of Rail Regulation.

But plans by Hull Trains to run a new direct train to the capital from Harrogate – which would have given villagers in Poppleton and Hammerton a door-to-door service to Kings Cross – have definitely been ruled out.

Service averaged only four passengers

FIRST launched its airport link bus in 2007.

It offered tourists direct return travel to Leeds-Bradford Airport for £15 and took less than an hour each way.

But after two months, it was averaging only four passengers a bus, and later that year the frequency reduced. First will now axe the service completely.

Managing director Dave Alexander said: “It is not commercially viable. In simple terms, not enough people are using the service and, if economic predictions are correct, this is likely to get worse over the next few months.”

However, a new service linking Leeds and York city centres is to be launched, which will stop at Tadcaster and Seacroft.

Boost for OAPs

ELDERLY passengers will be able to get free travel even before 9am, if they are going to a doctor’s or hospital appointment.

Pensioners currently get free travel after 9am, but First York says the time restriction will be lifted for patients. Full details have yet to be announced.

York Press: York - bus service changes