THEY have yet to reach the drawing board, but already new plans to cut car use in York have the motoring lobby twitching nervously. "These schemes are good in theory but we would question them in practice," says the AA.

Ideas such as a car club for the York Central site are bound to throw up many questions. Until a detailed examination of cost and viability has been undertaken, it is impossible to judge which scheme, if any, would work.

But City of York Council is absolutely right to be thinking radically. The development of York Central is a huge opportunity to shape a better future for the city as a whole.

Every survey shows that traffic congestion is one of York residents' biggest bugbears. The near-gridlock during the St Nicholas Fair weekend demonstrated how bad things can get. They will only get worse if we build thousands of new homes in the middle of the city without considering the traffic impact.

York Central's convenience will be a key selling point for homebuyers. Everything is within walking distance from the site.

So why would its residents need a car?

For work, suggests the AA. Or perhaps to commute to Leeds. But those who consider their car essential should be encouraged to look elsewhere for a suitable property.

On paper, a York Central car club is an attractive compromise. The ability to hire a car as and when offers the flexibility of private transport at a fraction of the environmental cost. And if the AA wants to see how it works in practice, it need only look at the Edinburgh car club, which is growing steadily as residents appreciate the benefits.

York Central, the largest development in the city's history, is set to be a revolution. So now is the time to throw off our blinkers and consider the bigger picture.

Updated: 12:11 Monday, December 08, 2003