WITH the saving of the Minster library, one part of York's heritage is safe.

But how many people know that on a daily basis the heritage of this city is being torn out by the city council?

A very expensive so-called improvement programme initiated by the previous council is taking place regarding street-lighting, involving the replacement of the old cast-iron lampposts which have stood for decades, and in some cases more than 100 years, with a featureless steel tube.

Structurally if the old lampposts are painted they will effectively last for ever. If they need re-wiring to meet new standards, then surely this can be done - bearing in mind that the cost to residents of their cheap replacement is £1,000 a time.

I would hope that the new council leadership would halt this destructive programme and re-appraise the situation. After all this is supposed to be an historic city.

The same situation occurs relating to footway "improvements", the most recent case being Main Avenue, Heworth, where thousands of pounds worth of York stone flags were removed from a section of footpath to be replaced with tarmac - destructive madness.

The new council need to take a greater interest in conservation than the previous incumbents, otherwise a once historic city will be turned into a bland, soulless, nowheresville.

M Warters,

Yew Tree Mews,

Osbaldwick, York.

Updated: 11:42 Saturday, July 05, 2003