The media are reporting that Labour Councillors will decide tonight whether or not to scrap the access restrictions on Lendal Bridge.
This may be so. They have to find a way out of the mess before they get embroiled in expensive legal proceedings and before the government is asked to step in and take action.
Labour operate a strict “whip” system. That means that whatever the majority of the Group decides everyone subsequently votes for the party line at committee and Council meetings. It also means that electors never actually find out what their representatives actually think of proposals!
There is talk of having a “Special Council Meeting” to discuss and determine the issue at some time over the next week.
Lovers of the theatre might appreciate such an event, but it is not strictly necessary.
The Lendal Bridge restrictions, at least, can be suspended immediately (as they should have been on 28th February) with a proposal to formally revoke the traffic order being approved at the next Cabinet meeting.
Coppergate
It was, after all, the cabinet that approved Dave Merrett’s report and proposal at its May 2013 meeting.
But getting to the bottom of what really went wrong will require a detailed, almost forensic, examination.
That is where the Councils all party scrutiny committees should be involved.
That would leave the tricky problem of Coppergate.
Although access restrictions are never popular with everyone, general traffic has been excluded from Coppergate for nearly two decades.
What Labour did a year ago was to extend the hours of operation of the ban and install ANPR cameras to enforce the new restrictions.
As we pointed out yesterday, Council officials had raised concerns in early 2013 about the plan but the changes were made anyway.
We doubt if the majority of residents would want to return to a day time free for all on a narrow street like Coppergate, which lies in the heart of the central shopping area.
We suspect most citizens would however like to be consulted on options.
In the meantime the Council had better concentrate on finding ways of addressing the issues raised by the traffic adjudicator.