CAMPAIGNERS have slammed the consultation over York Central’s planned access road as a vital decision looms on the route.

York Central Action has handed a letter to the partnership which is examining three possible ways into the development site behind the railway station, where up to 1,500 new homes and 650,000 square feet of offices will be built.

The letter claimed there was a ‘paucity of information and the lack of proper scrutiny’ over the routes, two of which would enter the site from Water End with the third coming from Holgate Road.

It asked: “What are the projected traffic levels and how much will this increase traffic congestion and air pollution?

“Already some regions around the proposed access routes experience air pollution that exceeds safe levels and York Central Action believes that local residents have a right to know if this is likely to become worse.”

It said data on traffic projections and air quality would not be released until after the access decision was made.

It also claimed that despite repeatedly being asked, the York Central Partnership had refused to reveal exactly what kind of development was being planned and hence what kind of transport needs there would be.

And the group, a coalition of community groups, churches, businesses and educational bodies, asked why three other access options had been ruled out, saying it had asked why but the answers had been ‘inadequate and evasive.’

A partnership spokesman said it hoped a number of the group’s concerns would be addressed as part of an upcoming masterplan consultation.

“The partnership has committed to openly sharing information as part of the masterplanning process,” he said.

He said the access consultation feedback report would be made available next Monday, and the transport data would accompany a report to City of York Council’s executive on November 7 which would outline the partnership’s decision on a preferred access route, with the executive making the final decision on November 15.

“The projected traffic levels and the impact on congestion and air pollution of the preferred access option will be the subject of detailed analysis in the coming months as part of the normal planning process and this data will also be made available as part of the planning process,” he said.

“The exclusion of some of the previously proposed access options was openly explained as part of the access options consultation and has been explained to YCAG on a number of occasions.”

He added that the partnership was actively working with York Central Community Forum, which represents around 40 organisations from across the city, to ensure the views of all groups were represented.