I WORRY that the campaign to dual York ring road, which has united the aspirations of motorists and businesses, has been hijacked by local politicians.

Motorists fed up with congestion view it as a solution to quicker journey times. Businesses recognise it as an opportunity to speed up connections with supply chain networks.

Whereas the council’s intention is to use it to expand the limits of our rural city.

Take a look at growth proposals in York’s draft local plan: proposals for a housing explosion that will satisfy a 25 per cent increase in the city’s population; suggestions to replace swathes of green belt with urban sprawl.

Then ponder on the words of our former council leader (The Press, November 15) that the ring road will support the movement of people and services into and out of the city.

Now ask yourself whether the political reason for dualling the ring road could be part of a plan to “metropolitanise” York, turning it into a suburb of the Leeds city region of a West Yorkshire Authority?

Let’s not get conned into accepting the local plan as part of the sound economic reason for dualling York ring road.

The plan for a massive housing expansion is unjustifiable, unsound and unsustainable and should not even be spoken of in the same breath.

Allan Charlesworth, Old Earswick, York.