YORK'S new Metro bus service has been branded unacceptable by top councillors, a month into its operation.

Nearly a quarter of services are delayed and six per cent do not turn up, the City of York Council Approvals/Social Services Committee heard last night.

The new network's operator First York came in for criticism.

"The service is unacceptable," said leader of the council Rod Hills.

"It is clearly unacceptable that so many buses do not run. I get regular complaints from members of the public who rely on these services.

"I am aware of the complications of the bizarre system the Highways Agency have employed at Copmanthorpe, but not all services go near that part of the city.

"We need to express our concern about the delays and the cancellations."

Liberal Democrat group leader Coun Steve Galloway also had no kind words for First York.

"The problems are more acute on some routes than other and but the level of service is not good enough all round," he said.

Coun Peter Vaughan was concerned that the poor reputation the company had earned in recent times would "severely damage" the chances of getting new users onto the buses.

"One of the aims of the new Metro system was to increase the number of users on the buses," he told the meeting at the Guildhall.

"That is a sentiment we all agree with, but the level of service at the moment will severely damage the attraction of the bus as a way of getting around the city.

"It is simply not good enough."

Councillors called for more detailed information about the routes and the problems each one was facing.

First York boss Brian Asquith said: "The delays are caused by the traffic problems and we have put additional resources in to counteract that. The delivery of service is certainly improving now, and we are pleased with the passenger volumes.

"On some routes, the number of passengers have increased. The system is designed to attract new people and that is what it will do."

Updated: 11:22 Wednesday, October 31, 2001