FRUSTRATED road users want York transport managers to consider charging motorists to enter the city - but the business community has grave concerns.

The city's residents were asked to voice their feelings in a questionnaire given three options, ranging from a cost-cutting plan to an expensive and far-reaching programme which will need private and government backing.

Analysis of some 8,000 consultation leaflets which have been returned to the City of York Council shows that the people favour the most costly option.

So fed-up are most residents with congestion, that some 56 per cent expressed an interest in the introduction of charges for bringing a vehicle into the city centre. This could be the only way the necessary funds could be raised for congestion-beating measures.

The main thrust of Option Three includes plans for four new park and ride sites, high quality bus services, four new railway stations and more dedicated cycle routes.

The package, which would limit congestion to a two to three percent increase in traffic by 2006, would cost between £7m and £10m and rely on partnership as well as council and government funding.

In the postal survey some 52 percent of residents supported this option, with 25 per cent choosing Option Two (£5-£6m a year and pegging traffic increases to about eight per cent by 2006) and 14 percent backing Option One.

But Roland Harris, chief executive of the North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said the authorities have to be careful not to sacrifice access to business by penalising the motorist.

He said: "We have some serious concerns about the sort of approach which could include charging motorists to get into the city and higher parking charges.

"We have been involved in the distribution of a consultation for businesses and one envisages there will be slightly different views from those in the residents' consultation when ours are sent back at the end of this month.

"We all recognise that a city like York needs its transport matters attending to. But there has to be appropriate access for people come to work in York and for businesses to be serviced and deliveries to be made."

And Denise Raven, spokesman for the Automobile Association, added: "Any plans by York's council to introduce more charges for car user would be picking on the motorist as an easy target.

"He is already paying through the nose for VAT on fuel and countless other taxes and the idea of charging on top of that is unacceptable. The legislation isn't even in place to allow such a thing anyway."

The least expensive £3m-a-year option offered to residents by the council would result in a ten per cent increase in traffic levels - unacceptable to most residents.

Today Councillor Dave Merrett, the council's executive member for planning, transport and the environment, told the Evening Press: "Residents want to see decisive action taken to stop the traffic levels increasing and they also want to see pollution tackled and they want us to embrace new forms of transport as well as improving the existing public transport system.

"Transport has an impact on all our lives - be it the daily commute, the weekly shop or the school run.

"What we have been told is that now is the time for action and as a council we will do everything in our power to ensure people can get about by other means than just the car."

York's Local Transport Plan, which will be based on the consultation findings, is being submitted to the Government this month and will shape the city's transport strategy for the next five years.