PLANS to ban non-essential traffic from within the city walls should be paused - to stop a repeat of the problems caused by the closure of Lendal bridge.

Conservative councillors urged the local authority to be "extremely cautious" after a motion to stop car journeys in the city centre by 2023 was passed.

Cllr Paul Doughty said: "We have been here before in York where Labour rushed through a ban on traffic going over Lendal Bridge.

"We believe there is merit in reducing traffic in the city centre but this must not just be an anti-car drive. We should also not assume being anti car is pro-pedestrian as we will still have significant traffic with buses and other allowed vehicles and they are often some of the most polluting. "

York's two Conservative councillors voted against the plans, adding that "high streets need help not further barriers."