COUNCIL bosses have come under fire for shelving plans for a pedestrian crossing at a busy York junction, but have pledged to look again at the scheme.

It had been planned to improve the pedestrian islands at the mini roundabout linking Melrosegate and Tang Hall Lane, but the plans have been deferred from next year's budget, due to insufficient funds.

But local opposition councillors have criticised the decision, claiming that the council should use a recent windfall to fund the work.

As recently reported in The Press, City of York Council has been allocated additional funding over the next four years, after its Local Transport Plan was rated excellent'.

Ruth Potter, Heworth representative and deputy Labour leader, said: "It is ridiculous that at the same time as the Liberal Democrats announce that they have been given £1m from the Government for transport schemes and intend to use the money to fund safe walking routes, that they scrap plans for this important pedestrian crossing. This sort of his financial mismanagement is completely unacceptable."

Fellow Heworth councillor Paul Blanchard said: "The Melrosegate/Tang Hall Lane pedestrian scheme is vital so that walkers can feel safe and secure. Residents regularly come to me asking about this scheme, and asking when it will be implemented.

"It is disgusting that, despite all their funding from the Labour Government and our council tax, the council is not funding this pedestrian crossing, yet they waste £1.5m trying to sort out their mess from the buses."

Ann Reid, the council's executive member for city strategy, said: "The Labour government cut more than 25 per cent from York's Local Transport Plan funding, a total reduction of £6.5 million over five years.

"Because of this cut we were forced to defer some schemes in the capital programme.

"However, since the decision to defer the pedestrian refuge was taken the Government has now assessed York's transport plan as excellent'. This rating entitles the council to an extra £450,000 funding for the next financial year, with further funding to follow. We will therefore be looking again at those schemes we were forced to defer due to the original funding cut.

"Officers are now working on a report which will indicate how the council will spend the additional money now available to us.

"It would be much easier to plan if the Government stuck to its promises and provided the level of transport funding it announces, instead of constantly moving the goal posts and making cuts."