Method of providing an operator access to a target storage position in an automated storage and retrieval system , the automated storage and retrieval system comprising: a rail system for guiding a plurality of container handling vehicles , the rail system comprising a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane (P) and extending in a first direction (X), and a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane (P) and extending in a second direction (Y) which is orthogonal to the first direction (X), which first and second sets of rails form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane (P) comprising a plurality of adjacent grid cells , each grid cell comprising a grid opening defined by a pair of neighboring rails of the first set of rails and a pair of neighboring rails of the second set of rails ; the automated storage and retrieval system further comprising a storage volume beneath the rail system , wherein the storage volume comprises storage columns for storing storage containers and the container handling vehicles are operable to retrieve a storage container from a stack of storage containers within the storage volume , the method being characterized in that it comprises the steps of: - operating a master control system to allocate and instruct at least one container handling vehicle to remove storage containers along a first path between a position at a side edge or a top surface of the storage volume and the target storage position such that an operator can access the target storage position through the first path when the at least one container handling vehicle has removed the storage containers along the first path. a rail system for guiding a plurality of container handling vehicles , the rail system comprising a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane (P) and extending in a first direction (X), and a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane (P) and extending in a second direction (Y) which is orthogonal to the first direction (X), which first and second sets of rails form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane (P) comprising a plurality of adjacent grid cells , each grid cell comprising a grid opening defined by a pair of neighboring rails of the first set of rails and a pair of neighboring rails of the second set of rails ; the automated storage and retrieval system further comprising a storage volume beneath the rail system , wherein the storage volume comprises storage columns for storing storage containers and the container handling vehicles are operable to retrieve a storage container from a stack of storage containers within the storage volume , the method being characterized in that it comprises the steps of: - operating a master control system to allocate and instruct at least one container handling vehicle to remove storage containers along a first path between a position at a side edge or a top surface of the storage volume and the target storage position such that an operator can access the target storage position through the first path when the at least one container handling vehicle has removed the storage containers along the first path. - operating a master control system to allocate and instruct at least one container handling vehicle to remove storage containers along a first path between a position at a side edge or a top surface of the storage volume and the target storage position such that an operator can access the target storage position through the first path when the at least one container handling vehicle has removed the storage containers along the first path. <EOS>