IT was with astonishment that I read your article on the pedestrianisation of High Petergate (June 5) as it paints a false picture. I refer in particular to the assertions that City Of York Council has taken no notice of the needs of the doctor's surgery which as a consequence is being forced to move.

There has been a long and detailed dialogue with the practice manager, Sandra Jackson, over how the needs of the surgery could be met and this resulted in the granting of a special exemption for patients with a serious disability to drive into the street at any time.

Working hand in hand with the surgery, a permit system was devised with which the practice expressed itself happy. Far from being 'very unhappy' as quoted by your reporter, Ms Jackson wrote a letter of thanks to city officers following this work.

The decision to introduce the footstreet order was taken by an independent inspector after a public inquiry. Neither the surgery nor Mr Foster of Fosters Jewellers, who was also quoted in the article, attended or made any representations to that inquiry. The inspector, however, was advised by officers of the petition raised by Mr Foster and of the detailed discussions with the surgery. The cyclists who objected to the scheme presented their views in person to the inquiry.

The public inquiry was an opportunity to express views before someone who was able to weigh the facts dispassionately. The city council was prepared to accept as binding the final outcome, whatever that might have been. It is a sad reflection of democracy that others were not prepared to do likewise and chose the medium of your paper to claim their views were more important than those who supported this proposal.

Bill Woolley,

Assistant Director (Development & Transport),

City of York Council.

St Leonard's Place, York.