YOUR report on City of York Council's failure to reply to the parish councils of Fulford, Heslington and Osbaldwick demands fuller explanation and investigation (June 11).

It is not good enough for City of York to cite a breakdown in communications, and apologise for not meeting its charter. Fulford Parish Council is not alone in having repeatedly raised the matter of road infrastructure for this side of York facing concentrated building developments. We also pointed out that York council was, through its planning process, in a position to approve plans it has a strategic interest in.

The Press coverage of the traffic demonstrations in Fulford and the Germany Beck planning committee decision has shown the Lib Dem council has chosen to dismiss residents' petitions and objections to the problems of projected traffic chaos. But, within two weeks of that meeting, council officers reported that the Fulford Main Street/Fordlands Road area was being monitored for pollution and results indicate increases.

That is without the new access road, which will add to stationary traffic, belching exhaust fumes into homes, gardens and the "open space" at Fordlands Road. Does this explain the delay in replying to the parishes? Does this excuse the lack of admission of such detail at a planning committee or a desperate civic administration?

Alan Smith,

Fordlands Road, York.

Updated: 11:15 Wednesday, June 22, 2005