BUS services in York came to a standstill at the weekend after drivers walked out in pursuit of a better pay deal.

Senior bus company staff and agency drivers took over routes to keep park-and-ride services running.

They were watched by strikers as they took the buses out of the depot on Saturday morning, at the beginning of a four-day stoppage.

Despite fears of traffic chaos, none of the predicted congestion happened.

But that could change today as the working week begins and commuters and shoppers make their way to the city centre.

The strike is the second in a series of stoppages planned by the TGWU in the escalating dispute with bus company First.

Drivers want a basic £8-an-hour deal and have rejected all management offers.

One striker said: "It's not a crumb of comfort for the people of York that the park-and-ride buses are running.

"They are brought in for the comfort of tourists and visitors at the expense of local taxpayers."

However, First's commercial manager, Peter Edwards, said the strike was hurting those who needed the buses most, such as children and the elderly.

"Some of our customers will become prisoners in their own homes. We are really sorry that this is happening to our customers," he said.