A FORMER goods yard which York council chiefs say would make an ideal car park for a new Strensall station is to be sold off to the highest bidder.

The Station Yard, currently rented by building contractors Myersholm Construction, is to be sold at auction by Rail Properties Ltd, a subsidiary of British Rail, at Manchester Airport on February 25. The move has prompted fury from local councillors who say it is a wasted opportunity - and highlights confusion over who owns what in the aftermath of rail privatisation.

City of York Council has been talking with Railtrack and Regional Railways North East about plans to open a number of local commuter stations around York. One of the sites identified for a station is Strensall - but ward city councillor Coun June Vaughan says without a decent car park that would be a non-starter.

She said: "It would appear the left hand of the railway industry doesn't know what the right hand is up to.

"Traffic from Strensall into York is already subject to long queues at the ring road. A new station would be a big help to the jams - but not without the car park.

A spokesman for Rail Properties stressed today his company had no links with Railtrack or any of the rail operating companies, and no interests in running rail services.

He added: "None of them (the council or Railtrack) contacted us when we put it forward for auction. My job is to dispose of surplus British Rail land. If they want to buy this site, that's fine, but they will have to bid in the open market.

"It sounds ironic, it may even seem crazy, but that's the way it is."

Coun Dave Merrett, chairman of City of York's planning and transport committee, said today he was "seriously concerned" about the situation .

A four-storey period building in York, owned by Rail Property Ltd, will also be auctioned at the same time with a freehold guide price of between £475,000 and £525,000. The premises in Tanner Row, close to the railway station, already generates more than £53,500 a year in office rents.

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