I READ with interest the letters from your readers in Saturday's paper following your speculative 'Lendal Bridge Closure Poser' (October 12).

Of course, the council has never had any proposals to close Lendal Bridge permanently. What we do have though is a determination to tackle traffic congestion in York and the many associated problems it brings.

Indeed traffic congestion has been the top of the list of residents' concerns in three of the past four of our annual opinion surveys.

That's hardly surprising when you stop and think that congestion is not just about the frustration we all feel when stuck in traffic. It's also about the number of people killed and injured on our roads each year (many of them children), the pollution from vehicle exhausts which threatens all our health, and the visual and noise intrusion to this wonderful city of ours.

Our Local Transport Plan is designed to tackle all these issues head on. There are however no magic solutions and some difficult decisions lie ahead if we are to overcome this ever-growing problem. Such decisions can and will duly be made if supported by the majority of our public.

As for Lendal Bridge, well that will open again in a couple of weeks when its waterproofing work is finished to protect it and all its splendour for future generations.

Bill Woolley,

Assistant Director (Development and Transport),

City of York Council.