Glasgow should consider banning through traffic from the city centre to reap the benefits of the recently opened M74 extension, a motoring strategist has claimed.

Neil Greig, director of policy at the Institute of Advanced Motorists, called for the creation of an "inner ring road" around Glasgow to complement what is effectively an "outer" ring road formed by the £692 million motorway which opened to traffic last week.

He said the five-mile extension, connecting the existing M74 at Fullarton to the M8 south of Kingston Bridge, would cut journey times but would have a limited impact in tackling congestion on Glasgow's busiest streets unless further action is taken by the city council.

Mr Greig added: "The M74 will mean there are fewer people cutting through Glasgow city centre to avoid queues, but people will still travel through the city centre. The council needs to look at circulation around the inner part of Glasgow.

"Now we have an M25 for Glasgow we still need that inner ring road, then the council can start to cut out through traffic from the city centre."

A ban on through traffic would allow the council to develop policies designed to tackle congestion and improve public transport, such as bus-only corridors and pedestrianised areas, Mr Greig said.

Jim Coleman, Glasgow City Council's executive member for Land and Environmental Services, said: "The opening of the M74 will provide lots of opportunities.

"One of these will be the subsequent drop in traffic on local roads, including the city centre, and we will, of course, be looking at all the possibilities this presents us with."

Glasgow has a long-standing problem with air pollution caused by traffic and was recently named as one of three areas in the UK – alongside Greater London and north-east Scotland – expected to fail European limits for nitrogen dioxide emissions.

Plans to pedestrianise part of George Square outside the Glasgow City Council head- quarters and introduce traffic restrictions, which would lead to around 900 fewer vehicles travelling into the city every day, were announced in January.

But a formal consultation – which had been expected to be under way by March – has yet to be launched.

An ambitious new statutory partnership with bus operators – that would lead to around 1500 buses being upgraded or replaced with newer, less polluting vehicles – was due to come into effect last April.

But it has been repeatedly delayed and is now due to come into force in September.

Mr Greig said he had been encouraged by the policies put forward by the council to tackle congestion but was worried the authority may be deterred by the cost of implementing this vision.