The majority of people in Perth would oppose plans to turn the city centre into a car-free zone.
According to a recent poll commissioned by The Sunday Times, 51 per cent of residents living in the Fair City would be against a ban.
This makes Perth the only city in Scotland not in favour of introducing the restriction, with only 45 per cent of people in the poll wanting it.
The findings come after Edinburgh looks set to make its city centre car free, amid growing concerns over the impact car emissions have on human health and the environment.
Councillor Andrew Parrott, SNP representative for the city centre, said many people still do not see Perth as a major city with the corresponding traffic problems.
He said: “My first thought is Perth is a small city and many people don’t relate the traffic issues here to those experienced in bigger cities, and that colours the judgment of some.
“Perth is getting bigger with the Bertha Park development and other future developments, which could see Perth getting 25 per cent bigger hopefully within the next 15 years and that will have an obvious impact on city centre traffic.
“I think it is important that we do start looking at Perth as having traffic problems of a bigger city rather than a rural town.”
However, he said improvements to the city centre traffic could come from the Cross Tay Link Road, which is expected to be completed in 2023. He continued: “I am delighted that council officers are now working on a strategic view on how to manage traffic flows and parking in Perth.
“This is taking into account all sorts of things such as the Cross Tay Link Road and the park-and-ride facilities and an emphasis on active travel.
“Before the opening of the Cross Tay Link Road there is not scope for banning car traffic in Perth in any substantial way
“In my own view it will be the solution to many traffic problems and will allow us to look at traffic flows in imaginative and radical ways.
“For every person I have saying the pedestrian area is bad because they can’t get to use the shops, I have other people saying it is good because shopping is a more pleasant experience, so I am not convinced either way.”
Other campaigners say by introducing car-free zones they can improve air quality.
Professor David Begg, former UK Government transport adviser, insists it is the right move forward and says other European cities such as Paris and Oslo are leading the way.
He said: “By introducing car-free days, the mayor of Paris has given citizens a feel for what it is like, to have them experience traffic-free pedestrian access and cleaner air in the city centre.
“If Edinburgh and others are going down that route they can build huge support for the idea. Anything like this will be regarded as contentious but it is the right approach.”
Edmund King, president of the Automobile Association, added: “There are parts of cities which can be car free but you cannot have a blanket ban.
“There are practical issues that have to be addressed. All cities and populations have to be serviced, with deliveries for example. Proposals have to be realistic.”
