ANY survey of people's attitudes to modern living will see improvements to traffic congestion at the top of the list.

No one wants to live in an environment suffused with smog, as idling cars and lorries spew out their noxious fumes.

Of course, cars are a vital part of modern society - but there are alternatives which can, and should, be given greater status.

Which is why, despite its dull title, the Worcestershire Local Transport Plan 2 (2006 to 2011) should be read with interest.

Included in the plan is a new £10m railway station on the outskirts of the Faithful City.

Worcester Parkway has been "a proposal" in various guises for more than 30 years, but no authority has yet had the conviction and the resources to make it a reality.

The benefits for commuters - and the city as a whole - would be immense. The station would provide passengers with access to destinations north and south of the city, without having to change trains at Birmingham or Cheltenham.

Also included are plans for the future funding of a new pedestrian and cycle crossing at Diglis, as well as the creation of two more park-and-ride sites.

These will perhaps have a more immediate impact on reducing the level of traffic congestion in what is basically a city with a mediaeval road layout.

Will any of these proposals come to fruition? Only time will tell.

At least the plan is on the right road.