IN case you had not noticed, it is European Car Free Day today. Eight hundred continental town centres have been closed to traffic in an attempt to raise awareness of alternative transport methods.

Here in Britain, however, this is another European initiative to be received with scepticism. Only ten of 175 local authorities have signed up.

In York it was congestion as usual, although staff and bosses at credit card call centre CPP deserve - well, credit for their "go green" transport campaign.

The city council could justifiably argue that it is busy enough working on real schemes to tackle traffic jams to bother with a stunt like car free day. With happy timing, today saw the council announce it had struck a deal with the BAA McArthurGlen to launch a fourth park and ride service from the Designer Outlet.

This makes sense: it should mean that the existing bus service between outlet and city will finally carry some passengers. Two further park and ride sites are planned so every major route into town is covered.

Park and ride helps to reduce the number of car journeys into York, but it falls a long way short of solving the congestion problem altogether. In its Transport Plan, the council revealed its ambition to create a high-speed, high-frequency bus service in and out of the city centre.

That would provide a public transport alternative for the many people who find park and ride inconvenient. It must, however, operate long hours to meet the commuting needs of different shifts.

These measures are designed to soften up York residents before more punitive sanctions, such as tolls and company car park charges, are brought in.

York city centre traders will complain that fewer cars are bad for business. Customers are not prepared to carry bulky purchases on the bus. It may be time for retailers to consider developing a same-day delivery service.