I WOULD like to correct a misunderstanding in E A Carter's letter in which it was wrongly stated that City of York Council spent £1 million on a campaign to remind people not to use mobile phones whilst driving (May 13).
This is completely incorrect: the council has not committed any expenditure, other than officer time, to promote the campaign. We have not commissioned any new advertising on this subject and, where appropriate, have used free Department for Transport leaflets and posters from central Government.
The council has also clarified existing policies to ensure that council staff do not use their mobiles whilst driving. Any road safety publicity was funded from special central government grants last year and not from ratepayers' money.
If your correspondent was referring to the use of the council's traffic congestion management control system (TCMS) to remind motorists not to use their mobiles, then this is just one example of how the system can be used.
The variable message signs are designed to co-ordinate information about real time traffic levels and help direct incoming motorists to less congested routes. Clearly, using the signs to display other useful messages during quieter periods is simply making good use of an existing facility.
Pete Zanzottera,
Road safety officer,
City of York Council,
St Leonard's Place, York.
...CAN I assure your readers that the proposal to consult on the Heslington Lane bollard went through the normal committee process.
Members decided which options to consult on after considering an officer report, with the final decision on what changes to make also being taken by members, after considering the results of the public consultation.
The option of cameras is not open to the city council as they can only be installed by the police. So far North Yorkshire Police have declined to do so, despite the fact it is they who would retain any fine income which resulted. York bus operators' improvements have led to a 14 per cent increase in patronage for each of the last two years, something that would not have been achieved if the service was "abysmal" (Letters, May 6).
Increasing car usage cannot continue unchecked and that is why the current consultation for the next Local Transport Plan is asking people what traffic management measures they would support.
Funding will only be forthcoming from central Government if our plan delivers reduced congestion and increased road safety.
Coun Ann Reid,
Executive member, planning and transport,
City of York Council,
Grassholme,
York.
...I WAS at the ward committee meeting in Poppleton on April 27 when the availabilty of traffic data about the A59 Park and Ride was discussed. I don't know if that was the meeting that Mrs. J Liney attended (Letters, May 14).
At the meeting on April 27 in Poppleton this question was discussed at considerable length and, despite the reservations of the transport officer present, I gave a clear undertaking on behalf of the Liberal Democrat administration that this information would be posted on the council web site and made available to anyone who asked for it.
As the freedom of information champion for City of York Council, I am totally committed to making information readily available to anyone who wishes to acquire it.
Quentin Macdonald,
Executive member resources,
City of York Council,
Church Lane, Nether Poppleton,
York.
Updated: 10:05 Wednesday, May 19, 2004
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