JAMES Micklethwaite blamed Coun Reid (Letters, November 9) for the present traffic gridlock on the outer ring road, fuelled by commercial developments along its length.

He may recall that when the A1237 was built by the Highways Agency as a local distributor road, it substantially lay within the then Ryedale District Council area. It was that authority which granted planning consent for the traffic - generating retail, business and leisure facilities along its length.

Since then, two things have happened. Firstly, the last Tory Government belatedly issued national planning guidelines to local councils. These tipped the balance in favour of developing brownfield sites, which can be accessed by all forms of transport, and was a noble attempt to reduce car dependency.

Secondly, York became a unitary authority, with expanded boundaries which took over both sides of the A1237. The planning guidance changes came too late to prevent Ryedale from developing land alongside the A1237.

Hence York inherited a less than satisfactory situation, and its present Lib Dem administration must take guidance from the council's transport professionals, on how best to proceed with what they have got.

Paul Hepworth,

Windmill Rise,

Holgate, York.

Updated: 09:35 Thursday, November 11, 2004