A CONCERNED resident today said lives were being put at risk by delays over yellow lines being painted on a York street.

Kjartan Poskitt contacted the council to request parking restrictions on the corner of Wentworth Road and Telford Terrace, in South Bank, more than a year ago.

He said binmen and delivery wagons were having problems getting past parked cars - and raised the prospect of a fire engine or ambulance facing similar problems in an emergency.

Sometimes the corner has been so badly blocked, he said, that private cars have been unable to pass. Mr Poskitt said just eight metres of yellow lines on the corner would stop commuters blocking access, and end the need for vehicles to have to reverse back down Wentworth Road between two rows of parked cars.

When he contacted the council, he claims he was told the yellow line request had passed legal and planning hurdles, but had been stalled.

He said he was told the delay was because new waiting restriction requests had been put on hold by City of York Council's ruling Liberal Democrats - while a full review into controversial parking charges was conducted.

Mr Poskitt today hit out at the reaction.

He said: "I'm glad that the council is waking up to the problems of evening car parking charges. But putting a stop on yellow lines is a complete knee-jerk reaction. This is a completely separate issue.

"As little as eight metres would make a difference. Fortunately, there have been no problems with emergency service vehicles yet. But is the council going to wait for a house fire that a fire engine can't reach before something is done?"

Labour ward member Councillor Sandy Fraser said the delay was a Lib Dem overreaction to the outcry over controversial parking charges and restrictions.

But Lib Dem transport executive member Coun Ann Reid said the request was delayed by objections from residents concerned about losing parking space.

She said the council was treating parking issues with caution, with requests attracting objections reviewed individually as part of the on-street parking overhaul.

But she said she believed an order had been put in for this application and it was down to the contractor when yellow lines would be painted inside the bend of Wentworth Road and Telford Terrace.

Updated: 09:41 Wednesday, October 06, 2004