IT is interesting to note that the new City of York Council is to promote a river festival and major improvements in the maintenance and use of the rivers and riverbanks (June 10).

This includes boaters, walkers and cyclists, but not one of the major users of the rivers, anglers. Are we to remain the "poor relations" of leisure promotions?

We do know that waters we have previously rented from the council have had rental charges increased to such a point that we have been "priced out" of renting them, and other associations are also suffering the same fate.

What we would like to see, when the councils have taken all waters back into uncontrolled "public ownership", is that the angler has greater and easier access to fishing places, with particular reference to the less able-bodied anglers, as this is the Year of the Disabled.

R Hutchinson,

General secretary, York & District Amalgamation of Anglers,

Manor Park Close, York.

...THE summer edition of About York has an article containing ideas for improving York's rivers and riverbanks.

One of which is to increase and improve walkway access for pedestrians, wheelchair-users and pushchairs.

What a pity this idea was not thought about before the dreadful resurfacing of the towpath alongside the River Foss, in the Huntington Road area.

This has been surfaced with sharp, jagged, broken stone, which is unpleasant to walk on and impossible for wheelchairs and pushchairs.

The loose stone also provides great ammunition for children and youths to throw at the ever-decreasing number of ducks, which is also a concern for another of your recent correspondents (May 28).

We hope the next flood will wash away this loose stone and it is replaced by a good, hard, smooth surface, which is more environmentally and wheelchair-friendly.

Mrs M Hildred,

Huntington Road, York.

Updated: 11:33 Thursday, June 12, 2003