MOTORISTS have lost another place to buy petrol in York, with the closure of a second Total filling station.

The garage near Acomb Green shut down at the weekend, at the same time as the Bristow filling station in Fulford Road closed for business.

Several readers have contacted the Evening Press to complain about the Acomb closure, saying it will leave drivers with very few outlets to buy petrol on the western side of York.

Diane Carradice said: "After the closure of the garage in Foxwod Lane, this was the only one left on this side of the city really, apart from one in Boroughbridge Road. My daughter used to use it and its closure will cause inconvenience."

Another regular customer, who did not wish to be named, said: "It's a real nuisance."

Total had blamed the closure of the Fulford Road filling station on City of York Council for turning down expansion plans, saying it could not make an operational return without the redevelopment. It said today that the Acomb Green station had closed because it would not have made an operational return for Total UK in either the short-term or the longer term, "due to the current and forecasted trading environment."

A spokesman said: "Total UK had examined all the possibilities to continue to trade at Acomb Green Service Station as a viable business and regrets having to close the service station, and regrets any inconvenience caused to its customers.

"Although they are not employed by Total, the company will make every effort to relocate staff at the service station to alternative positions within the Total network.

"As a responsible company, Total UK is completing a thorough decommissioning of the site following the service station's closure. When this process is completed, the property will be marketed for sale for an alternative use."

He said the company still operated other service stations in the area, including one at London Bridge on Tadcaster Road, and these would welcome Total customers from Acomb Green.

Updated: 08:55 Friday, May 23, 2003