STANDING at a bus shelter and wondering whether there's anything actually coming will soon be a thing of the past in the congested tourist capital of the north.

Would-be passengers in York will no longer have to simply wait and hope - thanks to a new "intelligent" bus stop system now being rolled out across the city.

The high-tech 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 Bliss - for Bus Location Information Sub System - the first stop, by the city's station, went live today. Others will follow across the city over the next two years.

The state-of-the-art equipment uses satellite technology to ensure waiting passengers can get real-time information on bus services travelling around the city's network.

Electronic display boards fitted inside the shelter convey the information to passengers through a bus-to-satellite, satellite-to-shelter arrangement.

The real-time displays are part of the city's continuing drive to make buses a high quality alternative to cars.

The council's executive member for transport, Tracey Simpson-Laing, the council's unveiled the pilot scheme today and said: "The system will tell passengers exactly when the next bus is due to arrive.

"This is will end the uncertainty and frustration of waiting for the next bus."

She added: "Within a matter of months now we will see many bus passengers enjoying much quicker journey times, better reliability and up-to-date information due to our investment in new technology."

The commercial manager of First, the city's main bus company which also operates the local park-and-ride system, Peter Edwards, also took part in today's launch.

"This is a part of the jigsaw that will form a picture of a bus service to rival the advantages of the private car," he said.

The project is part of the city's five-year, £50m Local Transport Plan, which aims to create an efficient public transport system that people will choose to use instead of their cars.

Bliss has also been backed by a Department for Transport Real Time Information Programme grant.