In the light of the continued increases in bus fares and the proposed savage cuts in services by First York, I thought readers would be interested to know that the operating profit of the First Group in 2008 increased by 38.9 per cent over the previous year.

Further details are available on the First Group website.

Bob Towner, Hobgate, York. • I DON’T think it matters if public transport makes huge profits. Public transport should be here to serve the public and the environment. We all know what’s happening to the world with traffic and pollution.

Just sit in a bus down Gillygate or stand at the corner of Blossom Street and think that this is happening with traffic in every city in every country in the world.

We need to do something about the environment before it does something about us, and one of the ways is a good cheap integrated public transport system which the public will want to use.

Robert D Greaves, Alder Way, New Earswick, York.