YOUR well-researched article "Quay Stage One" relating to the conditional approval of the planning application made by the Chester Boat Company (October 11) should alert the citizens of York to the creation of a navigational hazard on the River Ouse.

The headline reflects the toe-in-the-door nature of the application which clearly has the potential to introduce more craft on the river.

We can expect Quay Stage Two, to follow on completion of the first year of Chester Boat operation, and given the elastic nature of the application even Quay Stage Three.

Problems with the application fall into three categories.

1) The location of the site will cause an unacceptable constriction to the navigable channel at Lendal Bridge to through traffic, and will further complicate courses of vessels approaching or leaving berths at the York City Rowing Club, Museum Gardens, and the York Boat terminal. Risk of collision will be raised to unacceptable levels.

2) The application as approved will introduce more self-drive hire boats on to the river for use by inexperienced, casual tourists. This already accounts for a disproportionate number of incidents and any increase should be prevented.

3) Safety concerns on the River Ouse no longer fall within the remit of City of York Council, resting instead in the hands of British Waterways, which has not had a presence on the river for some considerable time and cannot therefore be aware of the large number of incidents which commonly occur.

Without intervention by the Marine and Coast Guard Agency and British Waterways we all now stand to witness safety on the River Ouse being sacrificed on the altar of commercial gain in the years to come.

Capt GH Morris,

President,

York Motor Yacht Club,

Long Ridge Lane,

Upper Poppleton,

York.

Updated: 11:12 Friday, October 22, 2004