Road link boost

But the scheme still has to be referred to the Government's regional offices for final approval after receiving backing from the borough authority yesterday.

It was predicted at the planners' meeting that the scheme will take traffic off nearby roads which have been the subject of complaints of lorries causing a danger.

Coun Jessie Credland, who represents nearby Hatfield, said she welcomed a link road but her concern was whether it would take traffic off Station Road. "It is a residential area and I'm sure everyone would be happier to see it take traffic off there and away from Bootham Lane. That would be a blessing."

Highways planning officer Graham Hargreaves said hopefully the road would mean trucks would no longer need to use such residential streets.

The road scheme has been proposed as part of the plans to create a clean coal power station and industrial park next to the site of the reopening Hatfield Colliery. It would see the site linked to junction five of the motorway.

But until now the scheme had been opposed by both the Highways Agency and the Environment Agency.

Now the scheme has the agreement of both influential organisations. The Highway Agency was initially concerned about the impact the link would have on the M18 but dropped the objection on the condition improvement work is carried out on the access at junction five. The Environment Agency is now happy with the scheme after receiving assurances over flood protection.

The planned scheme would also see industrial estates set up near the planned Hatfield power station and next to junction five's service station.

Powerfuels, the firm developing Hatfield Colliery and the power station, said staffing levels at the mine would rise from 260 to 350 this month and the power station would provide another 1,500 posts.

"The proposed link from the M18 would minimise disruption to residents," they said.