A MASSIVE public consultation exercise has been launched over plans for new traffic lights, bus and cycle lanes on one of York's most congested roads.

The package of measures is intended to avoid gridlock developing on the A19 Fulford Road and Fishergate, one of the main arteries in to the south of the city and a rush-hour traffic nightmare.

The Press reported last autumn how traffic projections suggested the road could be gridlocked by 2021 unless action was taken.

About 5,000 homes and businesses in the Fulford Road and Fishergate area of the city have now been sent a leaflet outlining the proposals, along with a questionnaire to let residents give their views, which must be returned to a freepost address no later than February 8.

Public exhibitions and meetings are also being staged later this month to give people a chance to air their views and ask officers for information.

The first takes place at Fulford Social Hall, in School Lane, Fulford, next Monday, with the exhibition taking place between 2pm and 7pm, followed by a meeting between 7pm and 9pm.

The second event will be staged at the same times at Danesgate Pupil Support Centre, Fulford Cross, next Wednesday.

A council spokeswoman said the measures were aimed at improving safety for cyclists and pedestrians, minimising the amount of traffic queuing in Fulford village and further north on Fulford Road and Fishergate, which should also help improve air pollution, making bus services faster and more reliable by creating new bus priority measures, and improving traffic control at key junctions.

She said a study had shown that, unless improvements were made, bus and car journey times would significantly increase as a result of worsening congestion, which would make congestion worse by prompting more bus users to switch to using their cars. "The economic implications of this worsening congestion would be felt by the city as a whole, whilst the safety of pedestrians and cyclists would be seriously compromised."

Fulford councillor Keith Aspden said: "This is an important route into the city which suffers from significant congestion and associated air quality problems. It is important that we look at measures that will improve journey times for public transport and facilities for pedestrians and cyclists, but without inconveniencing residents and businesses by removing on-street parking facilities.

"This consultation will allow everyone to have their say on these draft proposals and I hope that everyone with a view will take the trouble to get involved."

* The full proposals can also be viewed on City of York Council's website at www.york.gov.uk.


Some of the proposals

* New traffic signals at the junction of Fulford Road and Cemetery Road, including pedestrian crossings.

* Additional bus lanes along sections of Fulford Road, both inbound and outbound.

* New traffic lights at the A19's junction with the A64.

* New pedestrian crossing with traffic lights outside Fishergate Primary School.

* Improved pedestrian crossing with traffic lights outside St George's Roman Catholic Primary School.

* New cycle lanes and off-road cycle track along stretches of Fulford Road.

* New bus lanes along stretches of Fulford Road.