STANDING at a bus shelter and wondering whether anything is coming will be a thing of the past in a congested tourist city.

Passengers in York will no longer be unsure when the next bus is due, thanks to an "intelligent" bus stop system being introduced.

The system gives passengers up-to-the-second information on the whereabouts of the local buses and is costing the local authority £900,000.

Known as the Bus Location Information Sub System (Bliss) the first stop, by the city's railway station, was switched on yesterday. Others will follow across the city during the next two years.

The equipment uses satellite technology to follow the progress of buses and ensure waiting passengers can get information on bus services travelling around the city's network.

Electronic displays fitted inside shelters convey the information to passengers through satellite links.

The displays are part of the city's continuing drive to make buses more popular.

The council's executive member for transport, Councillor Tracey Simpson-Laing, unveiled the pilot scheme yesterday and said: "This will end the uncertainty and frustration of waiting for the next bus."