YOU may be forgiven for looking twice at today’s date when you read about the latest idea to solve the congestion on our troubled A40.

It’s not an April Fool but rather a more creative proposal for easing the traffic.

Farmer John Hook has brought to the table his 30-year old plan for cable cars along the old railway line between Witney and Oxford.

It’s a radical idea and one he said he thought up while on a skiing holiday.

Of course he hasn’t costed it and admits the speed of travel may be an issue but it has at least freshened the debate on what can be done to improve the route.

And we’re encouraged by transport boss David Nimmo-Smith’s reaction to the plan. He at least wants to look at long-term suggestions like the one put forward by Mr Hook for the route. It’s a constant headache for commuters who regularly report delayed journey times.

And cable cars isn’t the only plan put forward. Others have called for a tram system but the county council has only looked at those for Oxford so far.

While some of the proposals do seem unrealistic, particularly given the budget constraints of our authorities, we shouldn’t dismiss them out of hand.

They should all be used in the continuing debate to focus on what can be realistically done to help ease the traffic around our county.

Yes, it will cost money, and no doubt a lot of it, but an improved transport system would bring even more business to the area and help protect the economy.

With limited space to widen roads or build new ones, looking at ways to take cars off the road must be a good thing.

And who knows, maybe commuters will be able to hop on a cable car to get to work one day.