CLLR Denise Craghill’s call for Gillygate’s closure to some vehicles has created predictions of chaos on alternative routes (The Press, May 22).

Past closures have been short term and are insufficient to encourage long term changes in travel choices.

But if permanent daytime Coppergate-style restrictions were implemented, what might the impact be?

Experience shows that fewer residents will instinctively jump into a car for every journey. Multiple journeys might be condensed into one. Some may travel by car at less busy times. Others may choose to make short journeys by car sharing,or by cycling and walking.

If public transport continued to use Gillygate, their journey times would become more reliable and competitive.

Reducing road capacity seriously concentrates minds on travel habits. We can still keep the car as a good servant, but prevent it from becoming a bad master.

And the big winners would be Gillygate residents and businesses, whose air quality would massively improve.

Paul Hepworth, Windmill Rise, Holgate, York