Users make the Blossom Street junction a peril (From York Press)

Users make the Blossom Street junction a peril

10:26am Monday 8th February 2010

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While reading the consultation paper for Blossom Street improvements, I could not help but notice that the picture of this busy junction shows four pedestrians crossing against a red light on their crossing point, a cyclist also going against a red light.

Meanwhile, an ftr bus is spreading its vast unwieldy bulk over two lanes as it gets ready to attempt the left turn into Queen Street.

This one picture encapsulates most of the problems with traffic in Blossom Street, as well as possible causes for the 22 pedestrian accidents and four of the cyclist accidents that have occurred here over the last five years.

Indeed, when one looks at this picture and the blatant abuse of the rules that are shown it is amazing that there have not been more accidents. Mind you, I have lost count of the motorists who run the red lights coming out of Queen Street into Blossom Street and Nunnery Lane.

Whatever the outcome of this consultation, I hope that a sensible and unbiased solution that is as fair as possible to as many road users as possible is applied. Also, if City of York Council gets it wrong, as I believe it did at Clifton Green, then it should have the courage to admit it and go back to its drawing boards to try again.

Steve Helsdon, Howe Hill Close, Holgate, York.

• I read most weeks about the traffic problems in York, with the latest being Blossom Street. We all have our views, right or wrong, but mine is we should leave Blossom Street alone.

Are these alterations going to cause road rage?

Let’s take Sunday, February 1, at about 2pm. I decided to go to Rawcliffe via Clifton Bridge.

There wasn’t much traffic and only about ten minutes’ wait, but the lady behind me, who was in a big rush, decided to go down the wrong side of the road, pass five vehicles and tuck in at the front in the cycle area, waiting for the lights to go to to green.

After altercations between several car drivers everyone went on their way, but this could have turned nasty.

The council has sent out papers for our view; at what cost ?

If the council has no ideas and needs the public’s help, why not ask the people who drive on York’s roads every day, that is bus, taxi, lorry drivers, etc. That must be the best advice.

Steve Harris, Didsbury Close, Rawcliffe, York.

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