SAFETY improvements are needed on the banks of the River Ouse near York’s Millennium Bridge, a Green candidate has claimed.

Cllr Andy D’Agorne said that while welcome safety work had been carried out by City of York Council on the river in the city centre, there were danger spots near the bridge downstream that weren’t addressed.

“There is a waters-edge walkway that suddenly ends, with no grab rail or posts to alert unwary visitors to the hazard,” he said.

“There are also stone steps down to it with no handrail for elderly or small children to hold on to as they approach the ice-cream boat mooring.”

He also suggested there should be some lighting under the bridge, which would minimise the risk at night from a steep dark embankment down into the water .

Dave Meigh, public realm operations manager at the council, said a report by the safety organisation Rospa recommended installing better buoys around Millennium Bridge and the authority had replaced two old ones with three new models with hi-vis casings and floating lines that were twice the old length.

“The report also identifies this area as less hazardous because it’s easier to get out of the river.

“As ever, we are urging people to use the river and its banks responsibly.”