PLANS to bring a new Park&Ride site to York's suburbs have been hit by "delay and farce", it was claimed today.

Labour chiefs claim consultation over how and where to site bus services on the A59 is taking place for the third time - and have branded the latest round a "disgrace".

They say the Liberal Democrats have circulated a political leaflet asking people their views on the issue, as the controversy over the site in rural West York rumbles on.

Transport chiefs identified a suitable site on the first occasion before the Liberal Democrats took control of City of York Council, but there then followed new consultation on two other sites.

Labour chiefs claim that consultation put the scheme back "many months" and claim a new site has still not been named - delaying the project even further.

Now Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing, shadow transport spokeswoman, says the leaflet comes as the Liberal Democrats "desperately try to get the result they want". She argues the group is putting essential funding at risk.

But ward councillor Glen Bradley denied those suggestions, adding the leaflet was simply asking local people in the villages of Poppleton and Knapton what they thought before a final decision was made.

Coun Simpson-Laing said: "The delays to this project so far have been a disgrace. The Liberal Democrats have refused to accept the results of the official consultation, and in doing so they have put essential funding at risk.

"This is turning into a complete farce. It seems the Liberal Democrats are intent on consulting over and over again until they get the result that suits them.

"People have already expressed their views twice and are quite reasonably getting frustrated that the consultation keeps being repeated.

"The Liberal Democrats are claiming they are doing this a third time because they want it 'done properly', but if they don't accept the council's official consultation as being up to scratch then why should a party political Liberal Democrat leaflet, delivered only to the areas they choose, be any better?"

Coun Bradley said: "This is ridiculous. All we are trying to do is gauge the opinion of local residents. We want to find out what locals in Poppleton and Knapton really want."

Quentin Macdonald, also a ward councillor, said: "It is not a farce and it is not a disgrace. We are waiting for a transportation report on York Central which we believe will have an impact on this site. That will come in January."

Updated: 10:04 Tuesday, December 21, 2004