This week an innovative and practical proposal to tackle congestion in Oxford was put forward. Did it come from Oxfordshire County Council, the authority tasked with dealing with the city's growing congestion problem? No, it came from tiny North Hinksey Parish Council.

As part of discussions on their parish plan, parish councillors decided to contact businesses to see if a co-ordinated approach to the drive to work along Botley Road could make a difference.

The idea is that if business joins in this scheme, then proposals such as car-sharing and staggered working hours could make a difference.

These ideas are not new. Car sharing has been around for a long time, although take-up is ad hoc and limited. The notion of staggered hours is not a new one, although we are not aware of any schemes in Oxfordshire.

Unquestionably, they are both capable of cutting congestion not just on Botley Road but on all major routes into the city.

North Hinksey Parish deserves credit for its initiative although we doubt that, on its own, it will make a noticeable difference to what is happening on Botley Road.

The reason is that we - that is businesses and individuals - are essentially selfish. We want to come into Oxford when we like and usually on our own. It is the others that are causing the congestion.

What we need is either an incentive or a prod in the right direction.

What do we mean by that?

We need Oxfordshire County Council to be looking at innovative ways of managing traffic into Oxford. That could include parking concessions for those taking part in car-sharing schemes. It could include charges for those entering the city as lone drivers and/or at peak times. It could mean cars carrying three or more people being permitted to use bus lanes.

These ideas may or may not work. The important point, however, is that, by and large, they are not being considered by Oxfordshire County Council.

The county has taken a policy decision not to consider any form of congestion charging.

We understand the political difficulties with the concept and that any form of congestion charging is by nature extremely unpopular with motorists.

Driving around Oxford, however, is not going to get any easier. With the Westgate redevelopment poised to come online in the next few years and, as we report this week, a significant part of the West End redevelopment expected at the same time, the situation is going to get much worse.

Without a concerted, county- and city-wide approach involving all authorities, businesses and individuals, in which no solutions are ruled out, we could be sleepwalking into total gridlock.