A "PEOPLE'S Congestion Commission" launches on Tuesday to give York residents the chance to have their say on traffic problems.

The York Green party has set up the scheme, in response to a decision by the council's executive to scrap plans for a wider Congestion Commission, which would have employed outside experts to look for solutions to the city's traffic woes.

The launch on Tuesday coincides with World Car Free Day, and organisers said they wanted to encourage residents and businesses to come up with their own solutions to growing concerns about congestion and air pollution.

York Press:

Green councillor Andy D'Agorne said: "We do not claim to have all the answers, but the council has a responsibility to residents to tackle dangerous pollution levels and we want local people to share their expertise and ideas for the future of our city.

"Other local groups are welcome to bring forward their ideas too for the council to take seriously and perhaps model."

Next month the party will host a talk by Professor John Whitelegg, an expert in sustainable development from the University of York's Stockholm Environment Institute.

The Congestion Commission was announced by the previous Labour administration after the Lendal Bridge closure trial was ended, and traffic expert Terry Hill was lined up as chairman, but it was scrapped earlier this year by the council's new Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition.

Cllr Ian Gillies, the council's executive member for transport, said: "Just because somebody is paid £130,000 a year from outside the city that does not mean they are going to cure all the ills, so I thought it [the congestion commission] was going to be a waste of money."

York Press:

From left: Terry Hill, Cllr Ian Gillies and Cllr Andy D'Agorne

He went on to say that he did not believe York had a congestion problem in comparison with many other towns and cities, but admitted the volume of traffic on some streets made air quality lower than it should be.

He also said he did not want to repeat the long-running "Traffic Congestion Scrutiny" of five years ago, which he said delivered "absolutely nothing".

The congestion talk will take place at the Priory Street centre on October 20. More information can be found at https://york.greenparty.org.uk or by emailing office@yorkgreenparty.org.uk