COUNCIL chiefs spent nearly £130,000 on the report outlining the traffic

masterplan for York Central.

Coun Ann Reid, the authority's planning and transport boss, told a full City of York Council meeting a total of £129,000 had been invested over the past three years on the Faber Maunsell traffic studies for York Central.

She was responding to a question from shadow transport spokeswoman, Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing, who asked how much further studies - requested by officers for the 70-acre site at the back of York Station - would cost.

Coun Reid said: "It is too early to assess what the costs of any further studies might be."

Her position was defended by council leader Steve Galloway, who told members: "I am aware that there are those who may seek to criticise the cost of the transport report. They would be wrong to do so.

"When expenditure of £100 million is in prospect, then investing less than 0.1 per cent of that sum in understanding the transport needs of the development is money well spent."

The Faber Maunsell study revealed the transport costs for the huge swathe of land could cost between £31 million and £100 million, and involved building a new pedestrian bridge over the River Ouse, as well as restricting traffic access down Leeman Road.

Coun Galloway also outlined his role to councillors in the planning and preparing of the controversial 400th anniversary Gunpowder Plot fireworks display in November.

Responding to a question from Labour councillor Dave Evans, he said: "I was consulted early in the process about the level of council funding which might be available for such an event. I indicated that, in my view, any resources would have to be found from within the approved leisure budget.

"The maximum funding available was £12,000. That dictated the event, if there was to be any, would be a background aerial event with the launch site not public. That's what officers intended to deliver."

Coun Evans also attacked the Liberal Democrats over the "additional costs" of the closure of the Barbican in maintenance, security and the delays of selling the site.

But Coun Keith Orrell, the council's leisure boss, said: "There have been net revenue savings for council taxpayers of £615,000 since the temporary closure of the Barbican started."

Updated: 10:38 Thursday, January 26, 2006