ROLL out the academics, we can be sure they will not come out with anything original regarding the so-called congestion around York (The Press, May 6).

The river bus idea was tossed around some years ago. In fact, there was a boat which travelled between York and Bishopthorpe and occasionally to Acaster. It never really took off, hence its demise.

York councils of all colours have been talking about reopening railway stations around the outskirts, such as Strensall and Haxby, for more than 20 years.

That is as far as the idea has moved on, just talk.

As for the congestion, I travel around York on a daily basis and come 9.30am the roads around the centre and beyond are virtually traffic free apart from Coppergate, which is always full of buses.

The situation of population growth in York is obviously the core factor to any future congestion, with Germany Beck in the making, adding some 650 new houses.

One can imagine how many extra cars there could be vying for space.

Added to this is the huge development in Water Lane, plus the 100 acres of British Sugar land which will end up with dwellings built on it.

There appears to have been for some years an obsession in York with expanding its population without much thought as to where everybody is going to work, apart from service industry low paid jobs.

Bob Waite, Holgate, York