FRESH doubts have been raised about the need to close a York bridge to cars and motorbikes – because city-centre congestion has fallen.

A six-month trial closure of Lendal Bridge will begin in August, and City of York Council says it will make bus journeys quicker and help reduce traffic and pollution. But business leaders claim it will damage the city-centre economy.

Coun Dave Merrett, the council’s cabinet member for transport, has revealed peak-time traffic in the centre of York has already “fallen slightly”, but said closing Lendal Bridge could cut this further.

York’s Liberal Democrats also said figures released under the Freedom of Information Act showed the closure would mean more than 300 extra cars an hour using Clifton Bridge, with large traffic increases on other bridges.

Coun Merrett said York traffic had increased by about one per cent a year over several decades. He said national traffic levels had dropped since 2006/07 because of fuel costs and the recession, though they were expected to rise again.

He said: “City-centre traffic levels in York have also fallen slightly during peak times, partly due to the restricted access of the road network plus existing levels of congestion, and also as a result of the council promoting alternative ways to get around the city.”

He said the closure could further cut city-centre congestion and bus operators could look to increase services if reliability improved and they attracted more passengers.

Conservative councillor Chris Steward said Coun Merrett was “increasingly confused” about York traffic, adding: “One consistent theme is that he is determined to make things worse for car users, and, whether right or wrong, Lendal Bridge’s trial closure is one example where he has not engaged meaningfully with relevant groups.”

Lib Dem group leader Keith Aspden said closing the bridge would “significantly” increase traffic elsewhere, lengthen journeys and have “a knock-on impact on air pollution”. Green leader Coun Andy D’Agorne said cutting congestion had “economic benefits” and the bridge trial would test whether bus services could improve without hindering motorists.

Lib Dem campaigner Nick Love said the council could not provide detailed forecasts of increased journey times once Lendal Bridge closed, but research suggested some journey lengths would more than double.

Deputy council leader Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing said the Lib Dems were “scaremongering with no proper data” and had not considered how travel trends may change following the closure.

Susie Cawood, head of York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said closing Lendal Bridge would have a “negative impact”.