COUNCILLORS are being urged to introduce a bus lane and restrict access to the former entrance of a busy York Park&Ride site because commuters are using it as a rat run.

Evening video monitoring by City of York Council has revealed that some drivers are using the old Rawcliffe Park&Ride entrance on the A19 Shipton Road as a through route to the A1237, in an attempt to avoid the queues at its junction with the A19. This has led to problems at the site such as increased queuing, delays for the bus service and speeding by cars.

Bus drivers have also voiced safety concerns about the bus stop just inside the entrance following the introduction of "bendy buses".

Council officers are recommending that a bus lane is introduced in Shipton Road either side of the entrance, and that left and right turns from Shipton Road into the site should be prohibited.

The proposals are supported by Rawcliffe Parish Council, but objectors say that any residents who live on the city side of the A1237 would be forced to make an unnecessarily inconvenient journey to the A1237 to enter the Park&Ride site.

They have suggested a possible compromise for the proposed bus lanes to only operate during the evening rush hour rather than at all times.

Executive member for planning and transport, Coun Ann Reid, said: "Obviously there is a rat-running problem and if officers are advising that this is the best way then I am supporting it."

She said there was a need to make the bus stop safer because there was quite a demand for locals in that area to walk to use the service, but it was quite a long way in if they had to go right up to the terminal.

The recommendations will be discussed by the council's planning and transport committee (east area) sub-committee on Thursday at 3pm.

Updated: 09:01 Monday, November 10, 2003