YORK’S biggest bus operator has performed a U-turn over a controversial decision to double bus fares on a route to the city’s Nestle factory, which was exposed by The Press earlier this month.

First York’s single fare for passengers heading on the number 1 bus from New Earswick to the confectionery business rose 100 per cent from £1 to £2 in July.

Villager Maggie Laidlaw, who works at Nestlé, said she could have to pay up to £10 more per week to travel to and from work.

She said she was told by a driver it was going up to £2 because the route was classified as ‘medium’ distance, even though she thought it was only a mile or so.

But now the firm says it has had a rethink after listening to customer feedback, and changed the fare to £1.20 - a mere 20 per cent increase on the original £1.

It has done the same thing on a Chapelfields to Acomb route which had also seen its £1 fare double to £2.

A spokesman said a fares review last month had introduced a simplified range of on-bus single fares and a single flat fare on its mobile app mTickets for £2 for any single journey in York.

“The simplification of single fares to three (£1.20, £2, £2.50) meant that some increased, some stayed the same whilst others were reduced," he said.

“The changes were made to reflect the actual length of journey and to be in line with similar distance journeys across the city.

“Following customer feedback, we’ve reviewed single fares that fall just outside of the criteria for £1.20.”

He said it had now reduced the fare for the number 1 bus between New Earswick and Rose Street - and between Chapelfields and the Regent building at Acomb - from £2 to £1.20.

“We welcome customer feedback as this allows us to improve services for customers,” he said.

“The changes we have made demonstrate we are listening and want to ensure we provide the very best value ticket options for our customers across the city.”