SO Coun Merrett claims that Labour were responsible for the new clean-up team (Letters, September 30); but this would not have been needed if Labour had not stopped the road and grate cleaning in the first place.

All other road cleaning was stopped to deal with the centre of York for the benefit of the tourists and to get false awards, thus leaving the York tax payers with filthy roads and blocked drains.

I am not referring to litter, just sandy grit which gets blown about by the traffic causing as many health problems as exhaust fumes do.

A Cockerill,

Sandacre Court,

Boroughbridge Road,

York.

Updated: 10:28 Tuesday, October 07, 2003