A WORRIED mother told today how she fears her teenage daughter's safety has been jeopardised by new parking restrictions in York city centre.

Debbie Waite, of Acomb, York, says her 18-year-old daughter, Sarah, used to be able to park for free right outside the bistro where she works as a waitress.

When she finished work, she was able to jump in her car and drive straight home. But since City of York Council painted double yellow lines in the street outside the restaurant, she has had to park in a city centre car park some distance away.

That means a hazardous walk back to the car through darkened streets, past people sleeping rough, at midnight or 1am.

"Apart from the extra cost incurred, which in itself is almost an hour's pay per shift she works, there is very much a safety issue here," she said.

"She used to be safe, and now she isn't. I'm sure there are other staff in the city centre that are not only being inconvenienced but that are being put at risk.

"If we want tourism to increase for the benefit of us all, we also need to provide safe environments for staff to be able to work in the city."

She believed that the new yellow lines could not be justified on grounds of emergency access, as there was enough room for any fire engine to get past parked cars.

Coun Ann Reid, executive member for planning and transport, said safety was a concern of the council, but she said employers also had a responsibility for the safety of their employees.

Asked whether the council would feel some responsibility if a woman was attacked while having to walk back to her car from work late night, she suggested this was "scaremongering".

She has said previously that she personally did not feel threatened walking about the city centre at night.

She added that many people had previously been parking in streets on an evening where they should not have been.

Updated: 10:12 Friday, July 02, 2004