TOMORROW'S world is in York today with the introduction of electric cars to buzz council staff around the city.

The whirr of technology is being harnessed by the City of York Council's Early Years and Childcare Service and the authority's Greenworks department - a work-based training service for adults with learning difficulties.

It is believed that the van and a Peugeot 106 hatchback are the only two electric cars in use by any organisation in the city.

The Peugeot, which is recharged from a normal mains plug, costs 40p to fully recharge and can drive up to 40 miles on one charge.

Although long distance travel is not yet possible, it is ideal for the needs of the council, which is hopeful of being able to take on two of the electric cars on a full-time basis.

Heather Marsland, early years and childcare service manager, said: "There are obvious advantages in this means of transport including economical and environmental and the department's aim is to promote an environmentally-friendly way of travelling."

Mark Havercroft, Greenworks project co-ordinator, said: "The van is brilliant. It's fully automatic and as such is very smooth and quiet to operate. It's ideal for city use and the nice thing about it is that when you are stuck in traffic you know you are not adding to city centre pollution."

Mark, who uses the van to deliver the recycled furniture produced by Greenworks, said the van had a 45-mile range per charge.

The childcare service trials come in the week when a major city-wide council survey of residents revealed widespread support for radical measures to tackle traffic congestion and associated pollution. The council's commercial services department already runs a fleet of 19 dual-fuel, greener LPG cars and vans with another seven Vauxhall LPG cars run by the environment and development services department.