THERE'S no disputing York has gone a long way towards banishing the race-day blues.

Hours of planning, consultation and a multi-agency approach have transformed traffic troubles from heavy to soft.

But Saturday's Knavesmire fiasco was a throw-back to the bad old days of bumper-to-bumper congestion and delays.

True, much of what happened was down to circumstances beyond the organisers' control.

But many race-goers left the city with their opinion of York Racecourse badly tarnished.

Officials should waste no time in holding an inquest.