COUNCIL officers claim a controversial automatic bollard planned to provide more reliable bus services would also improve road safety.

City of York Council is proposing to put the rising bollard at the end of Low Poppleton Lane, beside Manor CE School, to give buses and taxis access to the Poppleton Park estate and business park.

The new bus route would include a bus stop outside the school so children would no longer have to cross the busy Boroughbridge Road.

Dan Johnson, the council's TravelWise officer, said it had appointed national cycling charity Sustrans to work with Manor School on a safe routes to school project.

But residents living in Low Poppleton Lane have drawn up a petition to fight the proposals, claiming the route would be a hazard to children.

The council has had nearly 40 responses from residents backing the scheme.

Updated: 10:22 Friday, January 25, 2002