CITY of York Council is being invited to bid for the Rural Bus Challenge 2001 (July 21). They will be asked to show innovation in the provision of bus services. Forget innovation, how about some common sense?

There are some excellent services available for visitors and locals alike, if only they were marketed better by the tourist board, which is the main place, visitors particularly, where the information should be readily available.

Information about many of the services is not out on the information boards or stands in the tourist boards.

I found out about the North Yorkshire Moors bus network on a visit to Newcastle Tourist Board.

The Yorkshire Dales services (numbers 26 and 812) that run on Sundays are under-subscribed.

Is it any wonder when there are no posters up about the services? Timetables may be available from the York Tourist Boards, but they are under- the-counter-jobs. If people don't know about them how can they ask for them?

Most overseas visitors don't have access to a car and it would be useful if the tourist board could promote bus services into the wonderful area round about York, not just sell tickets for the half-full York tour buses.

Shamuna Aslam

Howard Street, York.

Updated: 10:24 Thursday, July 26, 2001