by Mike Laycock and David Stanford

The Government was today declaring war on the car - and the school run and company car parks were first in the firing line.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott was publishing his long-awaited blueprint to cut traffic congestion with an integrated transport strategy, including plans for better public transport and safer cycling routes.

The White Paper was expected to target parents taking their children to school by car - said to account for one-in-five peak hour car journeys - and also suggest a "commuter tax" on workplace car parking spaces, possibly a charge of £150 per space per year for companies providing parking for staff.

Motorway and trunk road tolls could also be on the medium-term agenda.

But there was a stark warning today that country dwellers in North Yorkshire would be hit particularly hard by curbs on car use.

Statistics revealed that rural people, many living miles from the nearest bus stop or train station, drive 50 per cent further than townspeople each year.

People in North Yorkshire spend more than nine per cent of their weekly net income on their car, compared with less than seven per cent for Londoners, according to the Office of National Statistics.

Parents delivering their children today to St George's Roman Catholic Primary School in York said the proposals to encourage parents to send their children to classes on foot, bus or bicycle were welcome in principle, but impracticable in their own cases.

Catherine Woodward said: "I come by car from Riccall and it is too far for us to cycle. It's a good idea in theory but not practical for us."

Mr Prescott has stressed that the emphasis will be on "consensus" and agreement - "not sticks, telling people what you have got to do".

The Deputy Prime Minister was also expected to reveal a bonanza for pensioners today.

More than three million pensioners in 165 local authorities are to benefit from an extension to the half-price concessionary bus travel scheme already run in many areas.

It should iron out the anomaly, reported in the Evening Press, whereby rural pensioners often pay more for transport than city counterparts.

Last year, Ryedale MP John Greenway pressed the Government to consider introducing a national concessions scheme and review its policies for rural areas.

His action followed complaints from pensioners in Gate Helmsley who were paying more for a bus into York than OAPs living farther away at Stamford Bridge.

Gate Helmsley pensioners received only £16 worth of travel tokens from Ryedale District Council while senior citizens just down the road could pay £5 for a pass from East Riding of Yorkshire Council, entitling them to half-price travel for three years.

The White Paper was also expected to look at the eventual introduction of town centre road tolls; more money for road maintenance; a shake up of the rail regulatory system and measures to encourage greater use of public transport.

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