A PLAN to set up a �40,000 bus information point in Yarmouth could stall because there is not enough funding available.It was hoped that the new timetable and ticket kiosk would open seven days a week by the Market Gates Shopping Centre.

A PLAN to set up a �40,000 bus information point in Yarmouth could stall because there is not enough funding available.

It was hoped that the new timetable and ticket kiosk would open seven days a week by the Market Gates Shopping Centre. At the moment people have to go the library, tourist information centre or town hall to pick up timetables or use an �1,500 automated machine by Market Gates.

However, the bus plan looks likely never to get rolling as councillors heard that only a small proportion of the money needed had been allocated and securing funding would be a problem. It is estimated it will cost up to �40,000 to fit out a centre and another �114,000 to run it annually with five staff. Yesterday, the county council's Yarmouth area committee was told that so far, only �10,000 had been set aside for the kiosk and that taking 10pc commission in ticket sales to help fund the centre would not meet its running costs.

To cut costs, the council has looked at setting up the information point in the Victoria Arcade shopping mall at a lower rent or basing it in the seafront tourist information centre.

Mary Richards, county transportation officer, said: “There is a lot we can do but there is still the overriding issue of funding. An ongoing revenue stream needs to be identified.”

The meeting heard that any funding to set up the information point and run it would have to come from both borough and county council budgets for 2010/11 and 2011/12 and that central government would be unlikely to support the project.

Committee chairman Mike Taylor said: “We would like to see a permanent provision of bus information in the Market Gates area.”

The committee passed a recommendation asking for the funding to be secured for the site.