IT is designed to help a futuristic bus get around the city on time - but York transport bosses' latest traffic plan could leave motorists seeing red.

City of York Council is proposing to bring in York's first red bus route, to allow the very wide new FTR 'superbus' an unimpeded run around the streets.

A red route uses traffic regulation orders to ensure vehicles are not allowed to park anywhere along affected streets.

The city council transport advisory group which met yesterday agreed the red route option, along with a raft of resurfacing work in some streets in West York to get roads up to scratch in time for the FTR's launch in April.

The fleet of ten buses will initially run on the number four route, from University of York to near the shops in Acomb, which is the city's fastest growing service in terms of passenger numbers.

Bill Woolley, the council's director of city strategy, said it would not be necessary to keep all roads along the route clear and the council was looking at which might need such a traffic order.

In Chaloners Road, Cornlands Road and York Road, where nearly £400,000 of resurfacing work will take place before April, there are nearly 550 houses.

The council report, written by maintenance manager Fred Isles, stated: "Because it is proposed to make the FTR route a red route, members may wish to consider funding off-street parking for residents who are affected by this traffic regulation order."

Mr Isles wrote this could be achieved by providing vehicle crossing points and hardstandings for residents who live along the route.

Mr Woolley said: "Because of the need for FTR to be able to dock with the kerb at bus stops and to ensure access for disabled people, we are proposing to introduce bus stop clearways that will keep all bus stops along the route clear.

"It will not be necessary to keep all roads along the route clear, but we are currently looking at whether some of the narrower roads will need to be kept clear and whether alternative parking arrangements need to be made for anyone who parks on them."

Peter Edwards, First commercial director, said the company, which will run FTR, was keen to hear of any measures which may help it run its services unimpeded.

Ann Reid, the council's planning and transport boss, said: "We will consult on this. I think by the time the FTR begins to run, we will have in place all the measures First wants us to have and then we will be reviewing what further measures that may be taken."

Tracey Simpson-Laing, Labour transport spokeswoman, said: "This is a lot of extra money. If this is going to have an impact on residents then it needs to go through the consultation process.

"There may be people with disabilities who may not have the access they need to vehicles, and people who run their own businesses who need their cars outside. Obviously, this has some implications."

HELEN MACGREGOR asked Acomb residents how the lack of parking would affect them:

Keith Ferrebee, 29, a fork lift driver from Bishopthorpe Road, said: "I can see this creating a big problem. There are a lot of older people that shop here with disabled badges on their cars. They will have to walk a fair distance into town and on cold, rainy days that will be awful for them."

Anthony Sykes-Waller, 53, a lorry driver from Cornlands Road, said: "This could be awful for residents. There's no where else for them to park. I don't know what they'll do. When buses come over the speed bumps past our house at the moment it feels like a small earthquake. If the new buses will be bigger the vibration and noise will be even worse."

Eliza Traves, 38, lives off Chaloners Road, she said:

"At the moment the cars parked on the road slows other traffic down. Losing them will mean all other traffic will probably speed. If the buses are bigger they might get rid of the speed bumps as well which could be another reason for cars not to drive carefully."

Updated: 09:56 Thursday, February 02, 2006