Anti-car demonstrators marched through the centre of York before setting up a human road-block.

But the major traffic snarl-ups that Reclaim the Streets protesters brought to York last year failed to materialise this time - because the activists chose to reclaim a street banned to most traffic.

The group's street party in Fossgate - an access-only road - on Saturday coincided with similar demonstrations around the world, including the cities of Sydney, Madrid, Dresden, Prague and Birmingham.

In York, environmentalists carrying bright banners left Tower Gardens, took a leisurely stroll round the Castle, down Piccadilly and then into Fossgate where they sat down at either end and had a street party.

Last year, the group brought traffic to a standstill, and incurred the wrath of delayed shoppers, in Bishopthorpe Road.

But this year was a more sedate affair. Mother-of-two Layla, from Huddersfield, said the reason she was taking part in the protest was to help build a safer future for her children.

She said: "We have the technology to build solar-powered and electric cars but we don't use it."

Shopkeepers in Fossgate did not generally suffer any drop in trade but there were mixed reactions to the aim of the protesters.

Christine O'Grady, from Inches of York, said prohibiting traffic would kill off the small trader because shoppers would go to out-of-town centres instead.

Ray Pickering, manager of the Huxtable Clothing company, thought the protesters were in the wrong place and should be concentrating on areas of more heavy traffic. He said: "It is completely misguided; this is an easy target and they should go out there and sit in Clifton Moor." The protest was a peaceful one with minimal police involvement.

See COMMENT Protest was misdirected

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