THE Lendal Bridge experiment was a brave try. It is not really surprising that it had to be given up.

The car lobby spent the 20th century constructing the prejudice in favour of cars and against the rights of other road users – pedestrians, cyclists and public transport – which forms the current conventional wisdom.

It is clear from the hysterical tone of the debate that motorists will not be ready to consider fair shares for everyone using the public highway in the near future, and neither will government inspectors, who might have been expected to be impartial.

I hope that a full report on the results of the experiment will be made available so that where it succeeded and where it failed can be rationally considered.

Make no mistake, the setback is serious. It will discourage anyone else from looking for ways to deal with urban traffic congestion and its consequences.

But at least the next time all concerned will have a better idea of what they are up against.

Ann Holt, Portland Street, York.