A COMPLETE new fleet of buses is expected to hit the streets of York later this year, the Evening Press can reveal today.

First York, the city's main bus company, is believed to be ready to invest £11 million in 98 state-of-the-art buses - replacing all the old vehicles.

The 53 single deckers, 12 double deckers and 33 midibuses - shorter buses more adept at running on housing estates - would give customers a more comfortable, spacious, relaxing, quiet and smooth journey which, together with improved reliability, should make the public transport system in York more attractive and easier to use.

All the new environmentally-friendly buses would have clean engines to meet European standards.

They would offer low-floor, easy access for parents with pushchairs and buggies, people in wheelchairs and the elderly, making public transport more accessible.

The new buses would form the centrepiece of the York Metro, the new high frequency bus network that aims to encourage greater use of public transport in the city by making the bus network easier to understand and easier to use.

A lengthy period of public consultation saw details of the Metro circulated to every household in the city so that bus users and non-bus users could make comments.

A series of public consultation meetings and daytime roadshows were held to give everyone an opportunity to have a say in the future of their own public transport network.

The launch of the new York Metro, and the introduction into service of the first of the new buses is expected in May.

"I can confirm that we are looking at this investment as part of our commitment to providing the best possible bus service for the people of York," said Brian Asquith, First York's managing director.

It is understood that buses in the current fleet will be either scrapped or put into use by other companies under parent company FirstGroup's management.

"The combination of the new bus fleet and the new York Metro network will give the people of York a public transport network they can be proud of," said a FirstGroup spokesman.

"Using the public transport system will make the city a much more pleasant place in which to live and work."

The news was met with enthusiasm by travellers at bus-stops.

"It is about time," said student Jean-Paul Heffernan.

"We rely on buses and it will be nice to get some new ones in. Maybe I won't buy a car after all."

The view was shared by Robert Groves, 52, an actuary.

"It will be money well spent," he said. "But we don't want to have to pay for this with higher fares."

Updated: 12:02 Tuesday, March 27, 2001