IN the past eight years there have been no reported accidents around York Railway Station.

However, I believe the new scheme (March 29) will create problems and cause accidents.

There are too many pedestrian crossings close together with no defined markings between them, so pedestrians tend to cross two without realising and without stopping. This is obviously dangerous as they are not looking out for traffic exiting the station.

The entrance into the short-stay car park through Tea Room Square cuts across all of the traffic leaving the station as well as cutting across pedestrian crossings. This entrance is madness and will, in my opinion, result in many accidents. There has already been a minor accident involving two cars because of this. I have it in writing from City of York Council that any accident will not be counted in statistics in the first three months because people have to get used to the new scheme.

Does this mean the council is expecting accidents anyway, particularly in the early stages, and does not want them to count in its annual figures?

Unfortunately, like many council schemes, the whole thing is based on theory rather than practicality. It may work on a computer but, in my opinion, it will need some adjustments before it works safely.

Keith Hatfield,

Waterside Gardens,

York.

Updated: 09:05 Saturday, April 01, 2006