PARK&RIDE passengers in York will soon be able to enjoy a faster service when First introduces credit card payment at its three main sites.

The James Street company is hoping that three fast-ticket machines will be installed at Askham Bar, Rawcliffe Bar and Grimston Bar Park&Ride by the end of next month.

The machines, which utilise EFT (electronic transfer terminals), will allow passengers to pick up a weekly or monthly Park&Ride pass before boarding a service.

The company hopes the machines will make services even faster as drivers are saved time dealing with lengthy ticket inquiries.

The machines, which may be extended to other Park&Ride sites in the future, will not be able to deal with one-off single or return tickets.

Peter Edwards, First commercial manager, said the company was making the investment in order to "help us get up to date".

He said: "At the moment we are old fashioned. We expect people to pay up front and with cash.

"But the whole question of how people pay has changed and we have not kept pace with those changes.

"So we are introducing these credit card machines to ensure people no longer have to worry about whether they have got the right cash or change.

"We are hoping the machines will be in place towards the end of next month."

City of York Council chiefs said Park&Ride had been so successful, the authority had re-evaluated its expectations of passenger numbers - after its 2006 targets were already reached.

A council report outlining a £1.9 million budget shortfall revealed that use of car park spaces had declined partly due to an 18 per cent increase in the number of Park&Ride passengers.

Roy Templeman, the council's director of environment and development services, said the authority was now among the most successful Park&Ride operators in the country.

"The investments and money which is coming from the Government will allow us to continue this success," he said.

"Although our objective is to reduce traffic congestion in York, it is all about giving people transport choices."

Credit card machines should also soon be introduced in the authority's car parks.

Updated: 10:53 Thursday, October 02, 2003