BRENT Greenwood queried (Letters, July 21) the purpose of the large green boxes at traffic lights for pedal cyclists.

They are known as advance stop areas and their purpose is to give cyclists a head start over other traffic, and they are useful where there is a rising gradient, diverging junctions or multi-choice traffic lanes beyond.

I regularly use the exit from Queen Street to Blossom Street, and find that I can establish a safe position in the correct lane before motor vehicle drivers catch up.

I don’t think it’s an offence for other road users to occupy these areas, if traffic beyond suddenly stops and causes tailbacks.

But equally, I have seen drivers deliberately encroaching into the area. Motorcyclists often roar up into the green box in the deluded belief that their machine has pedals.

The wider debate sparked by John Cossham about a car-free city centre has brought suggestions that cyclists should also be excluded.

The Department for Transport mitigates in favour of allowing cyclists to use areas in which motor vehicles are restricted.

This aligns with the long-established practice in other European countries.

Paul Hepworth, Windmill Rise, York.