YORK’S controversial ftr bus is being withdrawn from service on evenings and at weekends by operators First.

The bus is being replaced by smaller standard vehicles on the number 4 route from the University to Acomb.

Coun Steve Galloway, executive member for city strategy at City of York Council, said that the authority had raised no objections to a request by First to switch to smaller buses operated by one person on evenings.

“Passenger levels are much lower then and we raised no objection as it is in everyone’s interest to run buses which are of an appropriate size to cater for demand and which have good fuel economy,” he said.

“The ftr was introduced to provide a comfortable and fast service for the large numbers of people who want to travel, either for business or education – university in the case of the number 4 route – purposes, during the working day.”

The road surface in University Road, which is on the route of the ftr, has become badly rutted over the past year.

Coun Galloway revealed that the road was in the council’s resurfacing programme for this year but refused to blame the ftr for its condition.

“We don’t ascribe the need for resurfacing of any road to any particular type of vehicle, although the ftr is far from having the heaviest axle weight of regular users of this carriageway,” he said.

Dave Alexander, managing director of First in West and North Yorkshire, said: “In the current economic climate, we are faced with having to make prudent financial decisions to ensure our business remains in a strong position.

“One such decision has been to look at Service 4 and we are now in the process of placing conventional vehicles on Monday to Saturday evening services after 7pm and on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

“The Service 4 timetable remains the same and its very much business as usual for customers travelling between Acomb and the University.”

Mr Alexander said First would continue to review the situation with regard to Service 4 on a regular basis.