COUNCIL bosses have come under fire, after the cost of York's ftr superbus soared again, to more than £1.5 million.

New figures show the cost has risen by another £250,000 on the previous estimate - and could yet rise further.

City of York Council has now shelled out £1,547,800 on accommodating the vehicles, and said more work could still happen.

Tracey Simpson-Laing, the Labour group representative for city strategy on the council, claimed the ruling Liberal Democrats were wasting money on an unpopular project, but the council's transport supremo Ann Reid and bus boss Peter Edwards defended the expenditure, much of which, they said, would have been necessary even without ftr.

Coun Simpson-Laing obtained figures from council officers showing £734,300 has been spent on resurfacing work and £229,600 on junction improvements.

She said the original estimate of total costs had been just £450,000.

Coun Simpson-Laing claimed the buses were causing large traffic jams, and endangering pedestrians and cyclists.

She said: "How much more public money are the Liberal Democrats going to waste because they have not thought this ftr scheme through properly? The large ftr buses are unpopular. Their size causes large traffic jams, they are dangerous on the road, often coming onto the pavement causing cyclists major concerns, not to mention the problems caused due to ticketing issues."

She said that at the Queen Street/ Blossom Street junction, the ftr straddled two lanes, while at the bus stop near the station the back of the ftr buses stuck out into the cycle lane.

She added: "I have lost track of the number of residents who have complained to me about these buses.

Coun Reid, executive member for city strategy, said: "The ftrs are less than one metre longer than the bendy buses' whose introduction Coun Simpson-Laing championed - indeed it was she who approved the use of two lanes at the Blossom Street/Queen Street junction for right turning buses.

"Many of the improvements that have been made, such as the traffic lights at Acomb Front Street, were already intensified as schemes that would benefit of all road users and we took this opportunity to implement them earlier than would otherwise have been possible.

"Changes to the capital programme happen every year as the full effect of implementing schemes becomes known but this year has been more radical by the arbitrary 25 per cent reduction in Government funding of the Local Transport Plan.

"Obviously, the introduction of the ftr has brought a step change in public transport provision in York but I believe that First are working hard to iron out the teething problems."

First York's commercial director Peter Edwards said: "The main element of the additional expenditure Coun Simpson-Laing refers to is the resurfacing work, and that was not just specific for ftr."

He said resurfacing and repairs to traffic-calming measures in Acomb were overdue in any case.


How the council money was spent

THE £1.55 million spent by City of York Council includes:* 75 bus stops upgraded.

* Eight junctions improved to accommodate ftr vehicles.

* Three carriageways resurfaced (Chaloner's Road, Cornlands Road, and York Road in Acomb) - equating to approximately 1.47 km distance; and off-street parking provided for residents.

* A new car park in Cornlands Road (off-highway parking for seven vehicles).

* 40 speed cushions re-profiled.

* More than 30 hard standings constructed.

* More than 50 additional vehicular crossings constructed.

A City of York Council spokeswoman said all signalised junctions on the ftr route were fitted with the BLISS bus priority system; raised "Kassel" kerbs were added; several junctions were widened. She said further work would include looking at other bus priority measures and upgrading bus shelters.