HIGH-value business and essential traffic in London such as fleet car users is in line for a major boost from councillors in the capital who want to ban non-essential traffic from the Square Mile. The move, part of a package of suggestions from the Corporation of London to combat jams, aims to slam the brakes on motorists using the centre as a through route.

Any attempt to push traffic away from the centre would be in line with Government attempts to combat car use in congested areas, which are expected to be outlined in the upcoming white paper on an integrated transport policy.

Surveys have revealed that 70% of all vehicular traffic in the City neither starts nor finishes its journey in the Square Mile. About 250,000 vehicles a day come into the capital, equivalent to putting twice the current traffic load on the M25.