BANNING traffic from St Leonard's Place in York is a great idea and one which, incidentally, answers that age-old political question: what exactly is the point of the Liberal Democrats?

This conundrum is relevant in York these days, what with the party being in power and all that. Anyway, council leader Steve Galloway answered this thorny dilemma in Monday's Evening Press with his startlingly bold suggestion that one of the busiest streets of York's inner ring road could be given over to pedestrians.

Just think how lovely that would be. No cars, no noisome fumes. Instead St Leonard's Place would become a corner of calm.

Stepping down from the walls at Bootham Bar, the walker would be able to head straight across the Place towards York Art Gallery, or nip down the side of King's Manor and into Museum Gardens. Perhaps instead they could linger safely outside of York Theatre Royal. All without fretting about ending up under the wheels of passing motorist whose vision has been blurred by traffic-jam rage.

At present traffic dominates this part of York. It's a wonder anyone notices a single beautiful thing.

One problem with traffic is that, like water, it always finds a way. If one route is blocked, it flows somewhere else. Yet this should not stop consider-ation of a car-free St Leonard's Place. People will complain, of course they will. They'll probably moan until a tottering tower of disgruntlement rises up into the sky.

Tuesday's Evening Press saw the first complaints, from residents in parts of York who feared the banned traffic could all end up down their way. Such worries, while understandable, should not be allowed to undermine such a tremendous idea. With broad imagination, there should be solutions. And just think what we would gain in the name of peacefulness.

Historically, there is a recent example of how banning traffic transformed another part of York. The closure of Deangate, which finally saw off the cars in 1991, has been of unquestioned benefit. That historic decision to ban traffic allowed York Minster to become again a proper part of the city, rather than being an island cut off by traffic.

York's greatest historical building was spared the effects of vibration and exhaust fumes from traffic, and visitors and residents alike were granted some tranquillity in which to contemplate the Minster.

So this was a copper-bottomed good deal all round. Wasn't it? When was life ever that simple. Some people moaned like mad about the closure. One of them even got up a 1,400 signature petition demanding the reopening of Deangate.

Thankfully, the complainers did not get their way and the rest of us were left to enjoy an immeasurably improved swathe of York.

Politicians, both national and local, have an immovable difficulty with cars and motorists. And we are the problem. We love our cars too much and want to be able to drive them without restriction. Yet unfettered motoring causes huge problems.

Many residential streets in York have been greatly improved by blocking off rat-runs, creating space and peace for those who live there. Yet still selfish motorists complain about being denied their favourite short cut.

My own road allegedly benefited from such a scheme. It was not blocked off or made one way. Instead, a road sign was placed at one end. This is the familiar one featuring a white horizontal line on a red circle. As every motorist knows, this means: please put your foot down and drive through here whenever you feel like it.

Updated: 10:04 Thursday, November 13, 2003