THERE will be more than a few raised eyebrows at news the city council is proposing to bring back traffic restrictions in Coppergate.

After all, the authority was forced to abandon previous restrictions there when a tribunal ruled that, while it had the power to introduce them, its traffic order was poorly drafted and road signs warning of the restrictions were unclear.

The council was forced to set aside £387,000 to pay back as many as 12,000 fines.

Now it is going to try again to introduce the daytime traffic restrictions.

There may well be a collective groan about that. But we think that, provided the authority dots all the is and crosses all the ts this time, it is not such a bad idea.

There's no need for cars to use Coppergate during the daytime. Those that do add to congestion and pollution. Banning traffic other than buses, official vehicles and taxis will make the city centre a quieter, cleaner, more pleasant place for everyone.

The council must be absolutely sure that it gets its traffic order and road signs right this time, however.

As Ian Gillies, the council's executive member for transport says, we 'don't want to repeat previous mistakes'.

Quite right.

Money is tight enough in York without another costly and embarrassing blunder.