COUNCIL taxpayers in York have been assured that the costs of bringing Royal Ascot to the city will not fall on them.

City of York Council said it had received £315,000 in funding from Yorkshire Forward to help it deal with the event.

A spokeswoman said this had helped pay for a traffic management plan, such as the new traffic lights in Tadcaster Road near the racecourse.

It had also paid for marketing and communications work, improvements to the infrastructure, and painting and grass cutting.

The money had also funded an events programme in the city centre, and additional street cleaning

She said the £315,000 budget had covered all the costs of the work required, so there had been no direct cost to the council.

She added that some pre-planned work had been brought forward to ensure it was completed in time for the Ascot event, but this had already been included in the 2005/06 budget, and therefore meant no extra cost to taxpayers.

Work to tidy up the city included the demolition and replanting/screening of the Knavesmire Road rose garden shelter, the painting of Clifton Bridge railings and of railings at Bustardthorpe Allotments, near York College of Law and the repainting of street furniture and repair of hand railings along Dame Judi Dench Walk.

There has also been a clean-up of Marble Arch in Leeman Road, new fencing has been installed in Sim Balk Lane, Clifton Green perimeter fencing is being repainted and graffiti has been removed from the Hamilton Panthers Football Club changing rooms in Knavesmire Road.

Meanwhile, at York Railway Station, the first phase of a £460,000 scheme to upgrade the historic entrance is under way.

Updated: 10:14 Wednesday, May 25, 2005