A COMMUNITY bus service has been withdrawn from a York street because "school run" traffic blocked its way.

Westfield councillor Sue Galloway is protesting at the decision to remove an afternoon bus which currently serves Ascot Way, Hob Moor.

City of York Council, which subsidises the number 26 service, found the bus was regularly forced to mount the pavement in order to make progress, because its way was blocked by parents in cars waiting to pick up their children from Our Lady's RC Primary School.

The bus now terminates at the Acomb Hotel.

Coun Galloway is concerned that the service has been withdrawn without consultation with local residents.

She said: "Ascot Way is some distance from local shops, and has a significant number of senior citizens.

"The 26 bus provides an essential service for a number of residents - which is why the service is subsidised by the council in the first place.

"It's unfortunate that the number of parents picking their children up in cars from Our Lady's School, are blocking the road and making it impossible for a vital local bus service to pass.

"It provides an essential link taking local older residents to the shops and the city centre."

Coun Galloway said she will be asking officers to investigate whether it would be possible to re-schedule the service to ensure it does not conflict with the school run.

"The removal of the service would seem like taking the easy way out," she added.

A spokesman for City of York Council said: "Car parking by some parents out on the afternoon school run has led to problems for the number 26 service.

"It has been decided that the one journey affected will now stop about 300 yards short of Ascot Way.

"However, we calculate that this will only inconvenience one passenger.

"Furthermore, this is just one of nine services operating along this route from the city centre every day, with 11 services running from Ascot Way to the city centre."

Updated: 10:40 Saturday, March 02, 2002