CYCLISTS will seek meetings with York's council leaders in a new attempt to end no-bike zones during late-night shopping evenings.

City of York Council has temporarily suspended a banning order on cycling in pedestrian areas of the centre on Thursdays.

In April, council chiefs had introduced a one-year experimental order restricting both cyclists and cars while shops remained open.

But only two months later that order has been suspended "to allow a comparison of the city centre" without the restrictions.

Paul Hepworth, of the York Cycling Tourists Club, said the group planned to meet the authority's new Lib Dem transport chiefs in an attempt to ensure that cycling will still be permitted on Thursday nights should the order be reinstated.

It has been suggested that late-night shopping in York has not been as popular as first thought, a factor which has left the door open to a review of the traffic order.

Mr Hepworth said: "We have asked to meet the council and we would like them to be guided by the national cycling strategy.

"It gives out very specific advice for local authorities who consider imposing vehicle restrictions in city centres.

"It says there should be a presumption made in favour of allowing cycling to continue in areas from which motor vehicles are banned."

Cyclists had been urged to deluge council chiefs with complaints about the traffic order when the ban was first imposed.

Council chiefs at the time insisted that the order had been made in order to "provide a safe shopping environment".

A City of York Council spokeswoman said: "The traffic order has been suspended for a four-week period, up to and including Thursday, June 26, to allow a comparison of the city centre environment with and without the restrictions.

"A decision about whether to reintroduce the traffic order will be made after the comparison."

Updated: 10:23 Monday, June 16, 2003