RESIDENTS have come up with a range of alternatives to the pedestrianisation of St Leonard's Place in York.

The Evening Press revealed last week how City of York Council might eventually close the congested section of York's Inner Ring Road to through traffic.

Council leader Steve Galloway said the move would rid the area of serious congestion and pollution problems, but would only go ahead alongside improvements to the outer ring road and the construction of a new inner ring road through the York Central site.

Several readers have since contacted the Evening Press with their own suggestions.

Stuart Brown, of Rectory Court, said the easiest and most logical idea would be to make the inner ring road one way, with most right turns banned.

"All junctions would be simplified and there would be more time at the traffic lights for two lanes of ring road traffic to pass, so reducing the pollution and congestion."

In St Leonard's Place, he said one lane could be paved over for pedestrians and even a patio restaurant for the Theatre Royal.

But Simon Hyde, of Headley Close, said a solution to York's traffic issues could be to dual the entire outer ring road - "the car park we all know as the A1237."

He said: "I understand this is what the planners recommended before the A1237 was built, though this advice was ignored to save money. I wonder if the people who made this decision are counting the cost of all the alterations that have had to be made since it was built, and how much it will now cost to dual it. Another example of how short-sighted politicians are."

Alexander Dobinson, of Askham Lane, had a different suggestion: "Before considering closing St Leonards Place to traffic, the council should energetically pursue re-opening a station at Haxby and creating a Park-and-Ride site at or near the A1237/B1363 junction to reduce the volume of traffic using Wigginton Road, Clarence Street and Gillygate.

"Once this has been achieved, traffic through St Leonard's Place could be reduced by prohibiting entry from Bootham/Gillygate but maintaining access from the Museum Street end."

Alan Metcalfe, of Tadcaster, asked: "When are York council going to provide a road system so that the people of York can move freely around their city, not just please tourists."

Updated: 08:38 Monday, November 17, 2003