A FULL study of traffic issues in Exeter city centre  will  be carried out before a  decision can be made on  whether to keep a one-way  system in Paris Street.

Exeter City Council  wants to ditch the current  system that was originally  introduced as a temporary  measure in 2006  due to the  extra congestion it has  caused on Sidwell Street  and called on Devon County Council to abandon its  “futile” attempts to mitigate the problem.

But at a county council  cabinet meeting yesterday  the bid was discussed and  deferred to consult with  businesses and residents  and carry out further inquiries amid calls for a  more comprehensive look  at the traffic flow in the city  centre.

In his report to cabinet,  Ed Chorlton, the county’s  director of environment,  economy and culture, said  the current system has enhanced the attractiveness  of the area and has increased the potential for future investment around  Sidwell Street.

 With a major redevelopment of the bus station also  in the pipeline, it was suggested that major retailers  such as John Lewis would  be more inclined to consider taking over the site if  part of Paris Street was  closed to traffic at least during   shopping hours.

While conceding that  Sidwell Street is now more  congested, Mr Chorlton  said it had made its crossing with High Street much  safer. He also said that reversing the decision now  would cost up to £125,000.

He said: “Two-way traffic  is a major barrier to significant development. It  cuts the city in two.”

Short-term improvement  measures that have been  introduced include widening the exit from Cheeke  Street onto the Paris Street  roundabout, and re-routing  buses along Bampfylde  Street. In the longer term,  the county council is looking at closing part of New  North Road and Sidwell  Street to traffic.

However, at yesterday’s  meeting Cllr Stuart Hughes  introduced a new recommendation that  the views of  all  interested parties be  sought on the one-way system in Paris Street.

He said: “The introduction of the one way system  has certainly led to a much  better shopping experience. However, I know  some people in Exeter  would like to see the reintroduction of a two-way  traffic and feel the county  council is trying to force  this on them. I am not in the  business of forcing things  on them and I would like to  see us get more views of  people in Exeter.”

His recommendation  was unanimously endorsed.

 Cllr Christine Channon  said: “The traffic management in the centre of Exeter  is more than just one street.  I welcome the recommendation to look at it more  thoroughly.”

Cllr Saxon Spence said:  “We need to be looking at  what we can do in the short  term to relieve the congestion but we must plan in the  context of how the city centre would work with a new  bus station.”

The further delay will  come as a big frustration  for those who have been  campaigning for changes.

Steve Screech, business  development manager for  Gemini taxis, said he would  favour a return to two-way  traffic for Paris Street.

He said: “If it returned to  two-way it would reduce  the congestion so much —  since it became one-way the  congestion in Sidwell  Street has been dreadful.”