The lanes would give priority to vehicles with three or more occupants, to encourage motorists to car share. Other measures announced as part of the deal include a £160M investment in cycling and walking infrastructure and £80M for the Metrolink trams, providing 4800 extra spaces and increasing capacity on the busiest lines.

 

Employers may also be offered incentives to introduce flexible start and finish times for their workforces, who could be encouraged to use a new ‘pre-peak’ reduced fare ticket offer on the trams.

 

Andy Burnham said: “Every week, my Twitter feed and inbox are filled with accounts of the difficulties people experience in travelling to work, dropping the kids off at school or getting to appointments on time.

 

“There’s no quick fix or single solution to tackling congestion and it requires a long term approach, but there are things we could be doing better.”

 

The Mayor called on transport bodies and businesses to work together to give people “real choice” about their travel options and said residents can play their part by making changes to how and when they travel and by choosing public transport, cycling or walking where possible.

 

High Occupancy Vehicle lanes are a common sight in several American states. In the UK, one such lane was introduced 20 years ago on the A647 between Leeds and Bradford.

 

A spokesman for Leeds City Council said that High Occupancy Vehicle lanes have made a positive impact in the city. He added: “We are currently reviewing all of our major radial routes as part of our city wide long term ‘Connecting Leeds’ strategy, with the aim of maximising road space to best meet the needs of all road users.

 

“As part of that review and our ongoing public consultation, the future use of our HOV lanes is part of the conversation and we are seeking the views of as many people as possible on the issue.”