CARS could be banned from Ouse and Lendal bridges under a radical 20-year vision for tackling congestion and pollution in York.

Transport experts brought in by City of York Council have drawn up a plan to combat the city’s traffic problems and poor air quality, which could ultimately see two of its busiest bridges closed to motorists. The ideas also include:

• Making the entire city centre a 20mph zone

• Pedestrianising more streets, including Fossgate, Hungate, Duncombe Place, Tower Street and Cumberland Street

• Building a new multi-storey car park in Piccadilly

• Creating four “traffic cells”, which cars would be unable to travel between but which would still allow access to parts of the city.

If the study is approved by the authority’s local development framework working group next week, a list of preferred options will be drawn up later in the year and will go out for public consultation at the start of 2012.

A decision will then be taken on whether all or some of them should be implemented in phases over the next 20 years.

The strategy – entitled the city centre movement and accessibility framework, and devised by Leeds-based JMP Consultants – suggests closing York’s shopping and tourism heart to through traffic, which would include banning cars from Ouse and Lendal Bridges. Skeldergate Bridge would remain open to motorists and access for buses, taxis and bikes would be unaffected.

The vision also includes improved bus routes, creating a new bus waiting area at York Station, introducing a freight depot to cut down on the number of delivery vehicles using the city centre, and a low emission zone to reduce air pollution levels around York’s historic buildings.

Coun Dave Merrett, the council’s cabinet member for city strategy, said: “Doing nothing is not an option, and this is an ambitious 20-year strategy which recognises York has problems with traffic and air quality.

“We are a growing city and we are going to have to do things differently if we are to cope with this.

“York has a reputation as a difficult city in traffic terms and we have to address that, but we could have relatively free-flowing traffic if there was between 20 and 25 per cent less of it at peak periods.

“Suggestions such as these would also provide the potential for a better public transport service in terms of reliability and frequency, more cycling routes and a reduction in our air quality problems.”

Richard Wood, assistant director for strategic planning and transport, said: “We cannot just fit more and more vehicles into the city, and this strategy is all about looking at whether there are big ideas which will fundamentally change this and give greater priority to public transport, cyclists and pedestrians in the heart of York.”

Coun Merrett said public reaction to the suggestions would be the key to whether they were introduced.

He said: “We want to see if York residents feel this is the right thing to do as a long-term approach.

“If people think it is, there will be a lot of work to do about how we can take this strategy forward practically and sensitively.”

How York’s ‘traffic cells’ could work

York Press: How York’s ‘traffic cells’ could work - map

1. The “heart of the city”, comprising its main visitor attractions, historic buildings and main shopping area

2. South west of the River Ouse

3. North of the River Foss

4. South east of the River Foss.

Car ban plan welcomed by bus bosses

ONE of York’s bus companies has welcomed plans to prevent cars passing through the city’s heart.

A spokesman for First York said York, like many cities, had to find new and innovative ways to tackle congestion and pollution.

He said: “The idea of limiting cars and lorries in the centre of York and looking to more environmentally-friendly forms of transport, including bus travel, to deliver the travel needs of people is one we very much support. We look forward to working in partnership with the council to discuss these plans in the future.”

Coun Ian Gillies, leader of the council’s Conservative group, who has recently secured a review of York’s pedestrianised zone and how its rules are enforced, said: “It seems to be a very ambitious strategy and I will wait to see full details.

“It is also something which will be taken into consideration when the council scrutinises pedestrian access and enforcement in the city centre, because it’s extremely important to have clarity about where pedestrians and traffic can go.”

Liberal Democrat councillor Ann Reid, a member of the local development framework working group, said: “Improving access to the city centre is vital for ensuring economic growth and encouraging more people to visit York.

“However, closing off some of the main routes through the city without providing alternatives would simply move the traffic problem elsewhere. Hard measures like closing roads and re-routing traffic will have some impact, but real success will only come through soft measures like improving public transport and making alternatives to driving more attractive.”

Adam Sinclair, chairman of York Chamber of Trade, said: “I think there are far too many cars and cyclists disrupting the pedestrian area in the city centre and they are dangerous and intrusive, so I would certainly support reducing that.

“But delivery vehicles must be allowed to come into the centre, and I also believe having one strategy for the city centre and another one for out-of-town retail developments smacks of a contradiction.”