AS a private hire driver in York, I gave up and went home when it took me over an hour to get from Hull Road to Acomb on Tuesday evening. I did, however, see what was holding up the whole of York's evening traffic - 30 yards of roadworks on Fulford Road.

In days gone by, the police or traffic wardens would have jumped in and stopped traffic blocking routes that could have flowed.

Now the yellow-hatted traffic wardens have been replaced by money-generating council wardens, although it was surprising everybody wasn't given tickets for parking in the middle of main roads.

Even a policeman walked past a line of traffic with no interest

If that is what brings York to a standstill now, I will not be working much over Ascot week.

Have the transport department have any idea? Have the councillors any idea? They will be on their bikes.

Richard Jackson,

West Bank,

Holgate, York.

Updated: 09:38 Friday, October 29, 2004