A BUS company boss has defended a decision to pull a regular service out of a York village estate in the face of concerns about the loss of "a lifeline" for elderly people.

A worried Copmanthorpe resident has spoken out after the half-hourly No 13 bus was withdrawn from the Yorkfield Estate and replaced by the hourly No 26.

But Peter Edwards, commercial director of bus operator First, said the No 13 was no longer commercially viable, following the introduction of the Monks Cross Park&Ride service.

Doreen Felton, of Ropers Court, Copmanthorpe, is one of a number of passengers who have contacted the operator about the decision.

In a letter to First, she wrote: "We have an elderly population. The half-hourly number 13 service is a lifeline for people on this estate, many in their late 80s and early 90s, thus providing access to the shops in York - the village shops being too far for many to consider walking."

She questioned whether the parish council had been consulted about moves to withdraw the service, and asked whether a survey had been carried out to learn who uses the service and how often. She considered the substitute No 26 service "inconvenient".

"Do you really think the elderly in particular need an hour-long tour of west York to travel to the shops?" she asked.

Mr Edwards explained that Norwich Union had previously underwritten the running costs of the No 13 service directly between the city and Monks Cross.

"Because the new Monks Cross Park&Ride was introduced, we withdrew the No 13," he explained. "It wouldn't have been commercially viable. We have now lengthened the No 13 route between the city and Monks Cross to go around Heworth."

He said the plans had been discussed with City of York Council, and local councillors had been made aware of the decision.

On the question of consultation, he said: "We are a private company and, though we work closely with the council and members, there's no formal structure involving parish councils."

He said the city council had introduced the No 26 as a substitute for the estate. It then goes into the city through Askham Bar Park & Ride site and via Acomb.

"It takes quite a long time," he conceded. "But people can get off at Askham Bar Park & Ride, where the buses are every seven to eight minutes."

Updated: 08:40 Friday, September 10, 2004