STUDENTS have welcomed the news that their university is to drop proposals to ban them from keeping cars.

The ban was one proposal Durham University had been looking at as a solution to parking problems in and around the centre city, particularly in areas of student rented housing.

Students may be offered cheaper bus fares to encourage them to use public transport.

The car ban idea was strongly criticised by Durham Students' Union, which said some students needed cars to get to part-time jobs. But the two sides have reached agreement to extend the system whereby students need permits to keep cars.

A university spokeswoman said: "The proposals aim to discourage some of the present car usage in central areas of Durham by extending the university's current licensing system. The proposals include limiting the allocation of licences to students living out to no more than two per residential address, in line with other local parking restrictions, within an agreed designated area of Durham City.

"The designated area will be agreed in consultation with Durham Students' Union where it is considered reasonable to walk or use public transport."

Prof Tim Burt, Dean of Colleges and Student Support, said: "There has, from the beginning, been full discussions with Durham Students' Union and student representatives and the views of student representatives have been fully incorporated into the process."

The draft proposals have been agreed by all parties and will be considered by the university's governing body, the University Council, in June.

Students' union president Craig Jones said: "We are completely against a ban on cars but a limit of two cars per household is very fair.

"We argued we should be pushing to get better deals for students on public transport to encourage them to move away from using their cars."

He also welcomed Durham County Council's offer to look at concessionary bus travel.

The council had offered to help the university and the students reach agreement, saying a car ban would be like 'cracking a nut with sledgehammer.'

Highways manager Roger Elphick said: "We are already looking at discounting fares for students on some of these buses and that should make them more attractive."