STAFF at York’s biggest bus company have condemned a local politician who called for cheaper fares and an end to service cuts.

The Unite trade union branch at First York said it was “horrified” by James Alexander’s Fares Fair campaign, and said his proposals would lead to job cuts.

Union officials said City of York Council was to blame for service cuts and problems with punctuality, rather than First York.

Coun Alexander, who is Labour candidate in York Outer at the next General Election, wrote to householders, criticising First York for increasing fares against questionable punctuality rates.

He called for:

* A freeze in First York fares until June 2011

* An end to First York bus cuts

* A review of all bus services to ensure villages have adequate bus links

Unite officials said they felt “compelled” to speak up for the company as well as their members.

In a letter to Coun Alexander, they said: “The company needs to make money to survive; in order to make that money they have to cut their cloth accordingly.

“This is not helped by the current economic climate and the world recession.”

They said much of what Coun Alexander demanded could be addressed by the council.

They added: “The level of hypocrisy displayed by you with regards to this situation is staggering, though, we feel, highly indicative of the crass, faceless people who are currently in Government, both locally and nationally.”

Coun Alexander called the attack “bizarre” and said he was “shocked and upset”.

He said: “The Fares Fair campaign was set up to end First York’s continued service cuts in the interests of both passengers and First York’s workforce.

“The campaign also seeks a fare freeze to help lower-income families still get to and from work, increase passenger numbers and make bus routes more viable.”

He added: “I would have thought trade unionists like me would support such a campaign, not write back and very unprofessionally and bizarrely call you faceless, crass and hypocritical for speaking up on behalf of workers. It appears that First York’s Unite branch supports the aims of their management over the views expressed to me by their drivers.”