RESIDENTS have called for York to have an innovative Park and Rail scheme to help deal with the city's congestion problems.

Fourteen neighbours have presented City of York Council with a petition against two proposed sites for a new Park and Ride site close to the A59 and Outer Ring Road.

They are opposed to two of the sites, at either end of Northfield Lane, Poppleton, the quiet country road where they live.

Other proposed sites lie close to the York to Harrogate railway line.

"Why can't we lead the country with a Park and Rail?" said resident David Sutcliffe. He had just given a speech to the council's transport officers and advisory panel, urging them not to choose the two sites off Northfield Lane.

He said that a Park and Rail scheme would cut congestion more than a Park and Ride because it would take buses off the roads as well as cars.

Councillors voted to include the views of the Northfield Lane group in their public consultation, the second in three years on the scheme.

A year-long public consultation led to officers recommending a site off the A59/A1237 roundabout in November 2003 .

But then the ruling Liberal Democrats decided to have a second public consultation. The first consultation began under Labour.

"There was a fair consultation once," said Mr Sutcliffe. "Have they got a secret agenda? We feel a little bit like a small voice in a big issue."

Mr Sutcliffe told the meeting that the lane had been a quiet country lane, but now had heavy lorries using it to get to a nearby business park. Residents feared traffic would increase significantly if either Northfield Lane site was chosen.

Updated: 10:51 Thursday, July 08, 2004