ONE of the new members of City of York Council has called for a review of the system which gives free spaces for councillors in the car parks it runs.

Green councillor Andy D'Agorne believes that members of the authority ought to look again at whether they should receive free parking - in the light of the authority's stance on keeping traffic levels down in the city centre.

Members can currently park free of charge in any of York's council-owned car parks when on business, a privilege which they have enjoyed for decades.

Coun D'Agorne feels that councillors should set an example if York residents are to leave their cars behind when they travel to and from the city centre.

But council leader Steve Galloway said there were no plans to undertake a review of the perk.

Coun D'Agorne said: "At environment and sustainability, one of the issues the council is trying to look at is how it operates as a whole.

"This could be an example where the council can take a lead in terms of encouraging people to use other mediums of transport instead of their cars," he said.

"I am saying that this is something that should be reviewed in the light of the council's policy on sustainability."

Last year, the council axed 1,000 long-stay parking spaces in the city centre in an attempt to encourage more people to use alternative forms of transport, such as Park&Ride, when going to and from the city centre.

Coun Galloway said: "This is not something we are planning to make any changes to. There has always been an arrangement.

"But we are going to adopt a policy looking at allowances for cyclists. Now there is the power available to do this, it seems sensible in order to encourage councillors."

Coun Galloway said existing levels of car park spaces in York would be retained, but there would be more of a focus on encouraging the use of smaller "town cars" in the city.

Updated: 10:21 Friday, June 13, 2003