BACKBENCH councillors have forced a rethink on the £135,000 congestion commission plans for York.

The idea was first mooted in the aftermath of the Lendal Bridge closure and firm plans were revealed earlier this year, but provoked objections to the £135,000 cost and use of outside experts.

Independent councillors, as well as Conservatives, Labour Independents and Lib Dems have all pushed for a rethink. Now the ruling cabinet will have to reconsider the scheme after a scrutiny committee recommended the commission was put off until after May's elections.

At the meeting on Monday Cllr Tony Richardson said the elections could result in a completely different council, and shackling a future administration to an expensive commission would be wrong.

But David Levene, the cabinet member responsible, said the planned commission made no distinction between ruling and opposition councillors and gave seats to all three major groups.

He added: "Surely tackling congestion should be the priority of any administration."

The Corporate and Scrutiny Management Committee referred the plans back to cabinet and it will be further debated by cabinet on Tuesday, March 3.