AFTER reading of the experience of Mrs Hope on the ftr bus (Passenger grilled by conductor after bus issues ticket 26 years out of date, September 19), at the hands of one of the ticket inspectors employed by First York, it would be interesting to know what First's training programme for inspectors consists of.

Does it include, I wonder, modules on: civility towards customers; sensitivity of the feelings of customers; and not least, one on basic common sense, for example?

But then maybe not if a crumpled ticket module takes a higher priority.

It is simply not good enough for First's commercial director, Peter Edwards, to say that the said inspector was "relatively new", only doing their job etc and then, to add insult to injury, particularly in Mrs Hope's case, by implying that almost all customers are potential fare dodgers.

This seems to me not the most ideal, customer-friendly way of responding to this issue, given that it is fare-paying customers that you are trying to attract and encourage to use public transport.

May I suggest that along with being "very sorry", Mr Edwards can find in his heart a way to give Mrs Hope a period of complimentary travel?

Mr V Overall, Tudor Road, Acomb, York.