CAMPAIGNERS are warning of “traffic chaos” caused by the redevelopment of York’s biggest brownfield site, and calling for more analysis before roads decisions are made.

Last week the development partnership pushing the plans for York Central made its recommendation for a vital access road on to the site, and on Wednesday the city council’s executive is due to make a decisions over the route.

But now campaigners in the York Central Action group have raised fears about traffic and congestion on the A19 and A59.

The group’s Kate Ravilious said: “We are really worried about this because these roads already suffer from traffic jams. Extra congestion is likely to have serious air quality implications and negative health impacts.”

According to traffic data released by the York Central Partnership, by 2031 the completed development is expected to increase traffic on the two roads by more than 50 per cent during evening rush hour.

The group is also unhappy about the data being used, saying it contradicts other plans and is based on “ambitiously low” traffic projections.

Holgate woman and action group member Katherine Blaker added: “The question comes back to ‘What is the Partnership planning to build on the site?’. We don’t think it is possible for anyone to confidently predict how much traffic will come and go from the site until there is a clearer vision of what kind of housing and businesses are planned to occupy the site.”

The action group has written to the partnership, welcoming the sharing of traffic data but asking for the access road decision to be postponed so councillors have more time to assess data, and so more detail on the proposed route through Millennium Green can be published.

Both the partnership and the city council have confirmed the decision will go ahead on Wednesday, with a council spokesman adding that although the data is “high level” it is detailed enough for comparisons between the different road options. There will be more consultation and details in future planning applications, he said.

The partnership added: “The points raised by York Central Action are all being addressed as part of the master-planning process and we are committed to making all of the information available as we continue to work up more detail.

“The information we have shared has been used to inform the decisions to date but we have always been clear that it is a work in progress and much more work needs to be done. This is entirely normal in a well-managed and methodical planning process.”

More detailed work will be done now, the partnership’s spokesman added, and they have offered to meet the action group.

“We are also looking forward to sitting down with groups across the city to outline progress being made on the masterplan but to also gain their input into the scheme.”