LANCASTER council has admitted it cannot afford to rebuild the city's crumbling bus station.

In a statement, issued after The Citizen's exclusive front page story last week, councillors said that cost cutting plans were being prepared after the council discovered it could not afford any of the tenders it received

And councillors say that the dilapidated station may be re-opened while plans go back to the drawing board.

The statement, signed by Green, Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat group leaders, reads: "The tenders for the new bus station are over-budget and so we are looking at ways to reduce costs in such a way as not to reduce the quality of the scheme.

"However, these financial negotiations should have been done before the old station was closed.

"We also acknowledge that the provision of shelters and seats at the new stops is totally inadequate. "Steps have been taken to resolve this immediately. New shelters will be placed in George Street, Queen's Square, Spring Garden Street and Brock Street."

Green leader Jon Barry, who prepared the statement, added that he expected the situation to become clearer after a meeting of the regeneration committee on Thursday.

Several cost-cutting options will be considered, including alterations to landscaping materials and the possible removal of electric-powered doors.

Meanwhile members of the Independent group claim that the bus station plan was ill-thought out from the start.

Leader Tricia Heath said: "The issue on the provision of bus shelters just goes to prove that this whole scheme has not been properly thought out.

"This has not been planned with the needs of the travelling public foremost. The bus station is built to suit the needs of the wealthy Stagecoach company, with no financial input into not only the bus station, but also for the provision of bus shelters.

"Why wasn't the issue of bus shelters thought of by the political groups before the start of the project, so that customers were looked after in a proper manner?

"It is just another example of a badly thought out scheme overseen by the last Labour administration.

And Cllr Heath added: "What else has been overlooked in the planning? And how much cost will that once again put on the local ratepayer? Let's make sure we get it right this time, to the benefit of all local people."

Transport committee chairman, MBI councillor Geoff Knight, added: "We are sorry that residents have been inconvenienced by the lack of bus shelters while work is undertaken on Lancaster bus station.

"As soon as the Independents were made aware of the issue we acted promptly to remedy the situation."