500,000 vehicles cross Bristol each week day

One option they were expected to consider was introducing more school buses.

Bus use in Bristol is among the lowest in Britain.

There has also been a recent proposal to create a new link road through north Somerset. The road would link the M4 and M5.

The final section of the Avon ring road has only just opened.

A consultation has been launched to guage opinion on the idea.

Half a million vehicles cross Bristol every working day.

The floating harbour is responsible for much of the city's problems. It restricts traffic to only a few crossing points in a large part of the urban centre.

Easing congestion

Traffic problems were made worse last month when the swing bridge near the Industrial Museum temporarily jammed open.

One aim of the talks is to meet a new government target of reducing traffic by 20%.

Past attempts to ease congestion have included running commuter services on the city's distinctive fleet of yellow wooden ferries.