THE owners of York's livestock market have criticised stringent new foot and mouth controls which they must put in place before their business can reopen.

The partners behind York Livestock Centre, at Murton, hope to reopen for their first sale in a year on February 28.

But before that, they must win a licence under new Government legislation which demands a host of strict biosecurity measures to guard against any re-emergence of foot and mouth disease.

Richard Tasker, one of the partners in the market, said: "They are way over and above any other measures that are in place anywhere else in agriculture.

"It's so over the top for us to be monitoring things like everybody's name and address, times of arrival and departure, and what stock they have been in contact with in the previous seven days.

"We have always had a high biosecurity system here anyway but what they are trying to do now with these restrictions, there's no justification for some of it.

"We have been shut for a year and have lost a lot of money and we desperately want to get going again."

He said milk tankers and feed wagons could go from farm to farm without disinfecting and footpaths were being opened up in the countryside, yet livestock markets were facing such strict rules.

The site has been operating as a central collection point for animals to be sent to slaughter - a role it would not be allowed to operate at the same time as being a market.

Mr Tasker added that the Malton livestock market was a stage behind the York site in its bid to reopen.

Rob Simpson of the National Farmers' Union said: "We are keen to see the livestock markets opened as soon as possible because they are an essential element of the livestock industry and provide a greater transparency of prices."

He said the controls were necessary to prevent any risk of a resurgence of foot and mouth and he urged NFU members to comply with biosecurity rules.

Updated: 10:18 Saturday, February 16, 2002