A PREFERRED site has emerged for the sixth park-and-ride service for one of the region's most congested cities.

People in York were consulted on five possible sites for a high-frequency service for motorists using the A59 Harrogate-York road.

As a result, local transport chiefs are now recommending a site inside the outer ring road, behind the Civil Service sports ground

The council's executive is being asked to give permission for a feasibility study to be carried out at the site.

During the city-wide consultation, 86 per cent of people living in York supported the park-and-ride scheme as very important for the city.

The sixth park-and-ride service aims to build on the success of the other services which have resulted in 2,500 fewer cars on the city's street every day.

The A59 service is believed to have the potential to remove between 500 and 750 additional cars from the city's roads every day.

Tracey Simpson-Laing, the council's executive member for transport, said: "Park-and-ride is a vital element of our five-year strategy to reverse the growth in congestion.

"Without the council's investment of Local Transport Plan money in park-and-ride we could be heading towards gridlock."

The proposed scheme is also likely to include improvements to junctions in the area to reduce journey times for car users.

It is also planned to improve safety for cyclists an pedestrians, and also includes bus priority measures in the city centre.

The scheme is likely to cost between £3.5m and £4.5m and could be opened in spring 2005.