Julian Sturdy, the Conservative Parliamentary spokesman for the new Outer York constituency, wrote (Dual concerns, Letters, April 25) to support dualling of the A1237.

This road was designed and built by the Highways Agency, using North Yorkshire County Council as its agent. It was conceived as a local distributor, hence the roundabouts rather than flyovers at intersections with main radial roads. The road was subsequently detrunked and handed to the City of York Council, who have to manage its future upkeep and development.

Rather than dual the road, it would be far more sensible to live with the existing capacity, and allow the ensuing congestion to dampen demand for more journeys along it.

Any professional transport planner will tell you that dualling would only bring so-called "relief" for about three years. In that time, it would also encourage more journeys along the road, and ultimately bring back the congestion which dualling was intended to prevent.

Politicians who court the motorist vote by promising "jam tomorrow" for car owners will only encourage "jams tomorrow".

If the A1237 is ever dualled, then the second lane should be reserved for a circular bus service, emergency vehicles and multiple occupancy private cars.

Paul Hepworth, Windmill Rise, Holgate, York.

  • Now that Julian Sturdy has resigned as a councillor he has obviously forgotten that it is the Regional Transport Board who are responsible for progressing transport schemes in Yorkshire and the Humber.

He must also have forgotten that his Tory colleagues on that board voted against supporting the dualling of the outer ring road.

The entire Regional Transport Board budget for two years would be needed to fund any dualling scheme unless Mr Sturdy has some other form of funding up his sleeve. Perhaps he is suggesting that it would be a toll road.

Coun Ann Reid, Executive member for city strategy, City of York Council, Grassholme, York.