The Corporation of Hamilton is planning major improvements to Bermuda's capital for the Millennium. And traffic is one of the prime issues on the agenda.

Corporation secretary Roger Sherratt said the organisation believed that "the traffic problem is getting progressively worse''.

The next few months will see the publishing of the most up-to-date "Hamilton Plan'', a study that is done every ten years or so to look into changes that need to be made in various aspects of the city's administration.

Mr. Sherratt explained that Corporation members had been working on the study for about two years.

"This is definitely the most comprehensive city plan that has ever been produced,'' he said.

Among the issues being looked at were improvements to certain sections of Hamilton, including its north side and the waterfront, and making the city more accessible to the public, especially older people.

But one of the concerns at the heart of the Corporation's efforts for improvement was that of traffic congestion, and parking problems in particular.

Mr. Sherratt said: "We're at a point where the quality of life is suffering because of the number of cars on the roads.'' He added that a report done "some years ago'' had stated Bermuda's vehicle saturation point as being 15,000.

"We passed that point years ago and people can feel the affects of that fact every day during rush hour.'' One man central to the Hamilton Plan is Government's assistant director of the Planning Peter Adwick.

He explained one solution to the city's mounting congestion was pedestrianising the centre of town, making it a much more "pleasant'' place.

"Our `Traffic Management Plan' consists of trying to divert much of Hamilton's traffic around the central area,'' he said.

As for parking, he confirmed more spaces for motorcycles were being considered. However, asked if any more car parks were going to be built, he said the last word on that would have to go to the Corporation.

Mr. Sherratt said: "We could continue to build more car parks, like the multi-storey one at Bull's Head. But is this really the answer to the problem? If we do this, then it stands to reason that the people will continue to come in and fill them.'' The Corporation's view is that, instead of providing more accommodation for vehicles coming into town, "efforts should be made in trying to limit, not only the amount of vehicles in the city but also the amount of time they stay there,'' Mr. Sherratt said.

"One obvious way of doing this is by encouraging people to use public transport. As you know Government is planning to introduce a fast ferry system in the near future.

"One problem with this, however, is providing people with enough space to park their vehicles when they get on and off ferries throughout the Island.'' Mr. Sherratt said an additional way of reducing Hamilton traffic would be to encourage people to live inside the city so they do not have to commute to work.

Another main concern at the moment is the use, or abuse, of loading zones.

"We are finding that, instead of them being used for actual loading and unloading, commercial vehicles are using them to park in,'' he said.

Mr. Sherratt said the "Hamilton Plan'' will be ready "for public eyes'' in the early months of the new year.