A CRUCIAL draft plan guiding York's transport system over the next five years is set to be published next month - and then swiftly submitted to the Government.

City of York Council says its second Local Transport Plan has been drawn up after a major city-wide consultation, the "Tell Ann" campaign, which ran for a year.

The draft document will be published on July 5, before going to the authority's ruling executive on July 12, and then being submitted to the Department for Transport by the end of the month.

The timetable includes:

August: Plan distributed to stakeholders, parish councils and public libraries

September-November: Meetings with parish councils and ward committees

September: Summary document distributed to public via libraries

October: Key Stakeholder Group event and public exhibitions

December: Feedback from Government, including funding.

January 2006: Draft final plan presented to committee

March 31, 2006: Final plan submitted to Government

A council spokesman said the creation of the plan would broadly follow the same route as the first, except that the draft of that plan had never been submitted to the Government.

He said the "Tell Ann" consultation - a reference to the council's executive member for transport Ann Reid - had included a questionnaire to ask residents for their opinions and priorities.

"Twenty thousand questionnaires were distributed through libraries and council receptions, cycle retailers, local bus services including P&R and Ward Committees and other meetings," he said.

"The council also invited individuals to respond through letters and emails, with a special address being set up, tell.ann@york.gov.uk, to give the opportunity for more detailed comments.

"In total, 58 consultation meetings were attended by officers and over 100 businesses and community and pressure groups were invited to participate in one of four LTP stakeholder working groups."

Updated: 08:35 Wednesday, June 22, 2005