Once again we have letters in The Press telling readers how the quality of life has improved for the residents of the Groves since the through road was closed.

No thought is given to residents in other areas whose quality of life has declined due to increased traffic in their district causing increased congestion and pollution.

Why don’t the residents of The Groves ask The Council to make the streets in The Groves private and make the residents pay for the upkeep of such streets?

This would save the rest of York from having to pay towards them.

City of York Council very rarely solve a problem - they just move it elsewhere.

A.P. Cox, Heath Close, Holgate, York

Roads closure has left The Groves transformed

As a Groves resident for the last four years I would like to state my full support for the permanent road closure of the Groves.

Prior to the experimental scheme Penley’s Grove Street was used as a cut through to Clarence Street and the hospital area.

Vans, lorries and cars came along from early in the morning, sometimes speeding and paying no heed to the folk who live here.

This continued all day and into the evening. It was an area unsafe not only for adults but for children.

Traffic would back up at the end of Townend Street leading to Clarence Street and the end of Lowther Street trying to get onto Huntington Road. We were a ‘rat run’.

Since the experimental road closure has been in place the area has been transformed. Our children can walk to school safely, the air quality has significantly improved, the area is quiet and a Groves community has developed and is flourishing.

Reopening this area would undoubtedly make it unsafe, with greater pollution and noise - and the community spirit would wither.

If the council really cares about heavily populated inner city areas, residents’ and children’s safety and quality of life and reducing air pollution, then this closure needs to be made permanent.

Folk who are looking for a short cut will have to and should be using the main road routes.

Thank you City of York Council for all you are doing for the Groves area. Please keep it up!

Judith Kirk, Penley’s Grove Street,York