THE decision by the East Riding of York Council to unprotect the route of the York-Beverley railway line, coupled with the almost immediate submission of planning permission to build 222 new homes on the site of the proposed railway station at Pocklington (and we believe an application for more on the proposed station site at Stamford Bridge is imminent), signals an effective end to the campaign to reopen the line as a part of the national rail network.

Over the next few years as many as 24,000 new houses will be built along the York-Beverley corridor.

The question that must now be addressed is traffic congestion. If we assume that each house is likely to have on average one car, 24,000 additional cars will be using the A166 or A1079.

Assuming that a conservative 25 per cent of these cars are going to need to access the York bypass, then congestion levels around Grimston Bar will increase dramatically, with some 12,000 additional journeys (this assumes a two-way journey each day) via that route. The new Whinthorpe development outside York will also see additional traffic in this area.

David Wells, Vice-chair Minsters Rail Campaign, Turners Croft, Heslington, York.