More than 7000 responses have been received following a consultation on how York should tackle its traffic congestion problem.

The Traffic Congestion Scrutiny Committee Chair, Councillor Dave Merrett, has hailed the consultation a success, saying the results provided much food for thought. He said:

"I'd like to thanks all those residents and businesses that responded to the consultation, which has had a good and statistically reliable return. The only slight disappointment is not as many young people responded as older residents.

"The results are very interesting with some important messages. Two thirds of residents were in favour of the two highest investment level options to tackle projected traffic growth over the next 20 years.

"The largest single group of respondents (39%) favour a no-charging solution in terms of funding this higher future transport investment in the city, but the three options involving charging together actually received more support. "

"And again in terms of individual measures, over two thirds of respondents saw improving local bus services as the most important issue for transport in the city."

Coun. Merrett said that the big strategic approaches were outlined in the unanimously cross-party agreed consultation to ensure local residents and businesses were able to understand the range and cost of measures that could be implemented over the long term to tackle traffic growth, and how they might be financed.

Coun. Merrett concluded:

"The logical next step is to have officers work up a detailed set of key long term major investment proposals reflecting what local residents and business have said. This needs to have a particular focus on transforming the attractiveness of local bus services, and the Council will need to seek bus operator support and/or proceed with a York Bus Quality contract with them to deliver that aspect.

"I would also hope to see continuing local resident and business involvement in developing the Council's detailed overall strategy, culminating in a bid for major Government funding to implement it. However, given the public spending position, in reality the Council may struggle to get anything like the funding we need from Government in future years, so fall back funding proposals will also need to be considered, as the majority of local residents and businesses have clearly recognised".