DO YOU care about the state of York's buses?

Then York Bus Forum needs YOU.

The Forum has been representing local bus passengers’ interests for six years.

It holds monthly meetings for members where key speakers deliver updates on industry developments.

Behind the scenes, it also has regular meetings with operators and City of York Council to promote improvements to services. It wants to see greater use of bus priority lanes, fare incentive schemes to encourage young people to use buses - and extended use of Park and Ride.

Now, with the next year set to be a key one for York's buses, it is keen to recruit new members.

First York and City of York Council are backing its membership drive.

Bus forum chair Doreen Magill said the council had successfully bid for money to improve bus services and introduce more electric vehicles. "One of the conditions attached to this Government money is the need to set up an ‘Enhanced Partnership’, where the council, bus operators, and other stakeholders hold more formal meetings than before," she said. "York Bus Forum will be a part of this.”

This year will also see public consultation on the new Local Transport Plan.

"York Bus Forum is ideally placed to represent the views of York’s bus passengers in the decision-making process," Doreen said. "We work closely with York Civic Trust and York Environment Forum, who also play an important part in the plan’s development.

“Our organisation has never been busier, and we will continue to make the voice of the bus user heard."

Both First York and the city council are supporting a campaign to encourage more local people to join the Forum.

Cllr. Andy D’Agorne, the Executive Member for Transport at City of York Council, said: “The York Bus Forum does a good job representing the concerns and ideas of York residents who travel by bus or would like to do so.

“This helps to provide operators and the council with valuable insight into ways that we might seek to improve local services through partnership working.”

To find out more about York Bus Forum, and the work it does,visit yorkbusforum.org/