THE site chosen for York's big wheel has been branded "fraught with danger and safety problems" by police, but councillors were today likely to give the plan the go-ahead.

Officers have told council officials considering the National Railway Museum (NRM) and World Tourist Attractions' plans to build a 50-metre high observation wheel at the Leeman Road attraction that it will have "a dominant and striking appearance very close to the main carriageway, causing a distraction to road users".

If approved, the wheel will offer visitors a panoramic view of York's historic city centre, the Minster and the River Ouse from the NRM's Leeman Road base.

Operator World Tourist Attractions has been trying for a year to bring a giant wheel to York but its first site - based at Tower Gardens, in Skeldergate - was slammed by local residents and conservationists.

If the wheel was given the green light on this occasion, it could bring up to 30 jobs, as well as attracting as many as one million tourists to the city.

But police, who will give an update when the wheel plan is considered at a City of York Council planning meeting, argue the proposed location will invite drivers to look at the wheel and distract them from what is happening on the road ahead.

Officers said in other areas where the wheel has been sited, such as Birmingham and Manchester, it was either well back from the road or surrounded by high buildings.

"Sightseers who merely wish to look at the wheel will be attracted to the area, and there is no indication of where these people will be allowed to congregate or how they will be controlled," police said in an authority report.

"There is a danger of large numbers of people gathering on both sides of the road to observe the wheel where pavement widths are restricted, with the risk that there will be an overspill of pedestrians on to the carriageway."

Police also believe there would be further problems if the wheel was lit up after dark, the illumination causing more distractions for motorists.

York Civic Trust, chaired by Darrell Buttery, had no objection to the proposal. It considered, although visible from may locations, the wheel would not intrude on the distinctive views of the city's skyline.

The report, written by development control officer Simon Glazier, concludes that the wheel would not cause "undue harm to interests of acknowledged importance".

Updated: 09:24 Thursday, January 19, 2006