COUNCIL bosses will meet with the new owners of YorkBoat in an attempt to establish another riverside walkway in York.

City of York Council chiefs have confirmed they will be hoping to negotiate a new walkway on the River Ouse with whoever eventually buys the venture in the coming weeks.

The authority is keen to build another walkway allowing pedestrians and cyclists to travel from Fulford to Clifton along the Ouse - on both sides of the river.

It is understood that the development of a new walkway has previously been restricted by the landing used by YorkBoat's fleet of sight-seeing and party boats.

But, as the Evening Press reported yesterday, YorkBoat is up for sale. Current owner Denise Howard has confirmed that the Lendal Bridge company's fleet of boats is to be sold as a going concern.

Now the council has said it will approach the new owners to see if any headway can be made in constructing a new way for people to enjoy the river.

At present people travelling on the Museum Gardens side of the Ouse are stopped at Lendal Bridge and cannot rejoin the riverside until they reach the King's Arms.

A City of York Council spokesman said: "We will approach the new owners. It is a general principle of this authority to have riverside walkways on both sides of the Ouse.

"We will take every opportunity we can to negotiate a walkway agreement."

Updated: 10:36 Wednesday, June 25, 2003