I FIND it amazing to hear City of York Council claim the traffic system would work if taxis had used the pick-up and drop-off points.

Yes, some taxis did not use the pick-up and drop-off points, but would this have stopped the tailback of traffic from the race course as far back as Fulford Road? I think not.

Coun Ann Reid should have been in the city centre among the traffic instead of standing at Tesco's roundabout, saying: "Yes this works look at the traffic flowing freely".

The police, plus hackney and private hire firms, should sit round a council table and sort this out.

We need to get it right for Ascot and not to look stupid as we did for the Ebor meeting.

Robert Gilbert,

Business manager,

Streamline Taxis (York) Ltd,

Cromwell House,

Cumberland Street, York.

...AFTER reading about some taxi drivers not bothering to work during the week of the York Ascot race meeting ('Ascot boycott threat', August 19), my instant reaction to this was "good".

It was the taxi drivers and others who were determined not to follow the race traffic plan, and were hell-bent on "rat-running" through South Bank to satisfy their greed.

Residents of South Bank have had to put up with race traffic gird-locking the streets for 50 years to my knowledge

As a resident, I say well done City of York Council.

C O'Hara,

Jamieson Terrace,

South Bank,

York.

...IN response to Peter Evely's comments on race traffic (Letters, August 28), he and many others have missed the point.

York residents are entitled to some consideration.

Yes, the races are, historically, well established and a major attraction for tourists, but the city has moved on since 1731 when race-goers attended in their hundreds, coming in by horse, horse-drawn coach and on foot.

We now have many thousands of race-goers coming from all over the country by coach, train and car.

With only the same means, or less, of accessing Knavesmire as there was 280 years ago, of course there will be traffic problems.

A price of £4 million for a proper intersection from the A64 on to the racecourse pales to insignificance when compared with the amount of money spent on other recent projects on the A64 that have benefited fewer people than those who, 16 times a year, can't get to and from work and can't move around the city in which they live and pay towards.

With direct access from the A64, and good management within the course itself, there is no reason why race traffic should affect the city at all.

If all the race-goers were coming by bicycle doubtless City of York Council would spend many times this amount cutting down forests, draining swamps, diverting the Ouse and putting new cycle tracks in place - at the motorists expense, of course.

Steve Helsdon,

Howe Hill Close,

Holgate, York.

...WILF Taylor is correct with his suggestions for race traffic (Letters, August 27) and there is a layby on the A1237 between the York eastbound slip road and the Bishopthorpe Road flyover.

This layby is a ready-made slip road alongside a hedge and ditch directly bordering the southern end of the racecourse by which easy access could be made on to the racecourse.

Traffic could be returned by the route described by Mr Taylor. I suggest there are acres of grassland bordering the A64 and feel sure one of the land owners, the largest of which being Askham Bryan Agricultural College, would be prepared to rent out land for car parking during the Ascot meeting.

Shuttle buses and taxis could then take race-goers from the parking area to and from the racecourse.

So why does Mr Evely and his planners want to bring all this race traffic into York when there are alternatives?

R S Scruton,

Palmes Close,

Naburn,

York.

...ONE additional solution to re-routing traffic during next year's Royal Ascot race meeting would be to time-manage visitor's departures with a programme of free live music events close to the racecourse.

For example, after the race meeting has ended punters could walk to Rowntree Park and other nearby sites to be entertained by musicians and street performers.

Businesses would benefit from the retention of visitors; the local community would gain from the promotion of live music and entertainment; charities could be allowed to raise funds and the overall visitor experience would be enhanced by a carnival atmosphere.

To paraphrase management speak, it is time the local council began to "think outside of the horse box" and kick ass to get things done.

Dr Brian Jones

Balmoral Terrace,

York.

Updated: 10:04 Thursday, September 02, 2004