YORK council leader Steve Galloway has been criticised, after telling residents worried about extra traffic that he will not attend any public meetings to discuss Labour "fantasies."

The Liberal Democrat claimed in a letter to Clifton Residents' Association that Labour councillors had been raising residents' fears by making "entirely groundless accusations about plans to redirect traffic through the Clifton area".

He said the claims were a "total fabrication", and based on a press article of a couple of months ago.

But Labour councillor Alan Jones claimed the letter to the association was "rude," and denied Labour had fabricated anything.

He suggested Coun Galloway just wanted to avoid residents angry at the possibility of more traffic going through their community.

Residents have been concerned since the Evening Press reported last November that transport chiefs were to investigate the long-term feasibility of pedestrianising St Leonard's Place.

Coun Galloway revealed then that the barring of traffic, which would at a stroke rid the city centre of one of its worst pollution and congestion blackspots, would be explored during revision of the Local Transport Plan.

He said traffic using the inner ring road to get across the city would be encouraged to use an improved outer ring road or improved public transport, but the residue might take a new route through the York Central site and cross the Ouse at Clifton Bridge, to travel along Bootham and Gillygate or Kingsway North and Crichton Avenue to get to Lord Mayor's Walk.

His letter to the association said that while pedestrianisation might be considered, the council was a long way from even deciding in principle to model the closure of streets like St Leonard's Place.

He said residents would have every opportunity in the coming months to contribute constructively to the Local Transport debate.

"I won't (however) be attending any public meetings to discuss what are in effect the fantasies of two or three Labour councillors. Sorry if that disappoints you."

Coun Galloway claimed to the Evening Press today that his letter to the association had not been rude, but "robust."

Updated: 08:45 Tuesday, February 10, 2004