ON the subject of a possible bus station for the centre of York, I would like to address the wider issue of the bus stops around the city in general.

Some considerable space would need to be found to accommodate a proper bus station, which may or may not come out of the plans to demolish Queen Street bridge.

Many will have noticed over the years that the bus laybys that used to enable stopping buses to pull out of the way of the traffic behind it have been filled in, transforming buses into mobile road blocks.

One situation where this causes a particularly bad tailback is the stops opposite York College.

At rush hour there is a stream of buses parked up loading small armies of students, which results in tailbacks all the way to the A64.

When I approached this with the council the excuse for not restoring laybys was that bus drivers don’t like having to wait to pull out.

Not good enough for me. The council wouldn’t hesitate to fine any goods vehicle illegally parked while loading.

So why design bus stops to intentionally do exactly the same thing?

A simple and cheap solution to aid traffic flow would be to restore bus laybys where possible.

Dr Scott Marmion,

Woodthorpe, York

Public transport is in need of improvement

THE Local Plan sought to assuage fears of traffic chaos by suggesting that all the extra residents would choose to use ‘good quality’ public transport.

When can we expect this?

I travelled on a worn out double decker today which had seating one removed from a plank and suspension which was so hard it was bone shattering.

Additionally the bus was dirty both inside and out.

Don’t councillors use public transport?

If they do, what are they doing to encourage improvements in the service?

Peter Bainbridge,

Hawthorne Avenue,

Haxby,York

Access flaw in plan for double deckers

While City of York Council and First may be fully committed to reducing traffic congestion and air pollution by introducing a new fleet of 21 double decker electric buses, each capable of carrying 99 passengers (York to get electric double-decker buses, March 27), I wonder if thought has been given to what percentage of travellers will be able to access the upper deck, due to age and other health reasons?

It may even be more difficult getting down to alight at the intended stop. Or will this modern mode of transport be fitted with a moving staircase?

Cllr Andrew Waller may be the 21st century version of the Grand Old Duke of York, who marches his passengers to the top deck, and marches them down again.

Ken Thorpe,

Ebor Way,

Upper Poppleton, York