THE reintroduction of a vandal-hit bus service in Chapelfields with a terminus at the site of some of the worst vandalism is "asking for trouble", according to the chairwoman of Chapelfields Residents' Association.

Speaking at a meeting of the City of York Council's Acomb Ward Committee meeting at St Aidan's Church last night Rosie Wall, who chairs the Residents' Association, said putting a terminus in the Chapelfields area at all was not a good idea.

She said: "We are not very keen there being a terminus in Chapelfields. We want the service to work but if it needs a terminus you are just asking for trouble."

The No. 1 bus was taken off more than a year ago after a string of attacks by vandals including bricks and bottles being thrown at the buses. On one occasion youths held a rope in front of a vehicle to damage it.

The continued vandalism eventually led to fears for the safety of the bus drivers and the removal of the service.

Now First are prepared to give the service another go and the bus will be reintroduced on September 1.

But the plans to include a terminus on Bramham Road, the scene of many serious vandal attacks, came under fire.

Commercial manager at First Peter Edwards speaking at the meeting said the point had been raised by staff already.

He did not want buses waiting for any length of time in the area and they would wait on Ridgeway and go on to the terminus at the advertised time but would not wait.

He said he hoped the new service would not encounter the same problems as it had done before and re-introducing it was an act of faith.

After the meeting he added: "Nobody wants to be on a bus when half house bricks are flying through the window.

"At the end of the day the problems we have had were caused by a small number of individuals.

"I have got to have faith in the people and the community that they are prepared to help us make it work."

Updated: 11:51 Wednesday, July 31, 2002