THE expectations of York's Millennium project of a pedestrian bridge linking New Walk and South Bank have been lost in the sad state of New Walk. In 37 years it has never looked so inelegant and bedraggled.

Before work on the project began there were at least 12 varieties of flowers and foliage along the walk. These were sprayed with weedkiller in order to import a different selection of flowers. Where are these flowers or indeed the grasses? Washed away in the floods of November 2000?

Could there not have been reseeding? Better still, the indigenous plants could have been left undisturbed and they would have survived the floods.

New Walk has been further degraded by the removal of wide channels of soil between the tow path and the walk.

Councillors told us that in order for wild flowers to flourish the rich alluvial silt must be removed. Further questioning revealed that the purpose was to allow flood water to escape more quickly.

Was it not realised that as the level of the river rose the path would flood more readily and hence become muddy and unusable more often?

The Evening Press has already published letters from Dave Taylor and Ivison S. Wheatley. How many more protests are needed before action is taken to restore New Walk and realise the promises of the Millennium Bridge project to improve the flora, place architectural items and return New Walk to a clean, cared for condition?

Dorothy E Penso,

Lastingham Terrace,

York.

Updated: 10:23 Monday, January 07, 2002