COMMUNITY criticism has been levelled at a controversial York road scheme as an investigation into the traffic problems it has caused moves to its next stage.

The £520,000 Water End revamp, which included removing a filter lane to create new facilities for cyclists, has sparked fury among residents in the area who say their streets have been turned into “rat-runs” by motorists trying to avoid tailbacks.

That led City of York Council to set up a task group to analyse the project – which cost £220,000 more than originally planned – and seek views on what should be done to ease the traffic headaches.

The group staged a public meeting last night at Clifton Parish Church, where Councillors Ben Hudson, Andy D’Agorne and Tom Holvey heard a stream of complaints about the increased volume of vehicles on suburban routes such as Westminster Road, The Avenue and Greencliffe Drive.

Residents said the scheme had caused a catalogue of near-misses for pedestrians as drivers seek alternative routes through the area and accused those in charge of it of putting the wishes of “a handful of cyclists” above the safety of the community.

They also claimed the effect of the changes was that using streets like Westminster Road had become “entrenched” for drivers and introducing closures to through traffic must be considered.

Paul Hepworth, North Yorkshire spokesman for cyclists’ organisation CTC, defended the scheme, saying: “We need to encourage the use of other forms of transport for short journeys, and this scheme is part of an orbital cycle route around the city which will contribute to a better flow of essential motor traffic.”

But Clifton councillor David Scott – who, with fellow ward members Helen Douglas and Ken King, called for an inquiry into the scheme – said: “I have never been convinced that this will have positive effects on cycling – we have only anecdotal evidence about that.”

The views gathered from the meeting will form part of the task group’s final report on the scheme, which will then go before the council’s executive.