The full-time officer will target people who park and drive illegally in bus lanes.

First Group will pay for the officer, a member of the Avon and Somerset force.

The scheme emerged at a public hearing into the company's poor time keeping in the city. The firm says cars parked in bus lanes cause delays.

A First spokeswoman said the officer, due to join the firm in April, would specifically target people who "habitually" parked in bus lanes.

The inquiry, on Thursday, was the fourth such hearing that First has attended in four years.

It was called by the Western area traffic commissioner Philip Brown.

The hearing centred on services the company ran in the summer and complaints about late running.

As well as introducing the officer, First said it was also developing a satellite tracking system to help ensure buses arrived on time.