I AGREE with Matthew Laverack on congestion (The Press, April 16).

For years, successive councils have tried to solve traffic problems by discouraging and trying to rid the city of traffic, failing to understand that it’s the slowing down and stop/starting of traffic that causes congestion and pollution.

People will not use buses until they run on time, which is impossible as long as traffic is deliberately “deterred” as the buses are themselves caught up in the chaos.

Many times I have read contributors comment that there are no positive suggestions for a solution.Well how about this?

Invest a fraction of what was wasted on the Lendal Bridge fiasco on repairing worn-out information cables (“trip wires”) at traffic lights, update the computer’s hardware to make the system fully functional again and program it to “shuffle” the traffic as its designers originally intended.

This facility has never been used since the system was installed more than 30 years ago. Get the traffic flowing!

This wouldn’t make more people drive; nitit would just ensure an easier and cleaner life for all.

York’s traffic jams will never disappear with the current approach.

D McTernan, Fossway, York