I am following with great interest the unfolding mass hysteria being whipped up about the proposal to pedestrianise York's Exhibition Square.

Let's give Coun Steve Galloway some credit for being brave and bold enough to be forthcoming and tell us it is an option which could be explored instead of keeping it to himself.

Regardless of which party are in power, this issue was sure to cause arguments and debate. Let's put to one side any political arguments and be brutal about why this scenario may be forced upon us.

The problem lies with everybody who has a vehicle, simple as that. How many households have more than one car? How much do we rely on vehicles bringing food to the shops etc?

Vehicle numbers have increased; York has got bigger but we haven't got the space to build more roads to cope with the demand. Extra traffic has to go somewhere!

Rather than harangue Coun Galloway, think of another option and let your ideas be heard. Coun Galloway did ask for these at the end of the original article in the Evening Press.

I suggest going underground. If engineers can build a tunnel under the Channel for vehicles I'm sure a tunnel or two under York wouldn't be a problem to alleviate traffic flow!

PR Willey

Burnholme Drive

Heworth York

...THE idea of closing St Leonard's and making it pedestrianised is a good one - the suggested re-routing of traffic via Clifton Bridge and Bootham etc is not.

Has the person who suggested this ever been along Water End during rush hour? It is often gridlocked in both directions. This idea would only exacerbate the situation.

P Smith,

Greencliffe Drive, York.

Updated: 10:05 Tuesday, November 18, 2003