Proposed City centre footstreet changes (click to enlarge)
Labour have finally published their proposals for changes to the City centre. They are contained in two documents that will be debated at a meeting on Thursday.
Today we look at the changes that they propose to the traffic and parking arrangements in the City centre pedestrian areas.
Several of the proposals are welcome and build on the improvements made in the City centre over the last decade. They include standardising – and extending – the footstreet hours, adding Fossgate (and Castlegate) to the zone, additional cycle parking, additional parking spaces for disabled drivers on Piccadilly, reductions in unnecessary signage and eliminating A (advertising) boards from public footpaths.
Other proposals will be more controversial;
• The exclusion of most motor vehicles – together with the elimination of “on street” parking outside the pedestrian hours – could hit the evening economy.,
• Putting in a (one way) cycle link on High Petergate will not please all and it fails to address the need for a west to east cross city centre cycle route,
• The most severely disabled residents who currently have green badges (in addition to those with national blue badge ) will have less access to the city centre and fewer “on street” parking spaces.
• Changes to access arrangements in Micklegate could hit traders and area beingpropmoted with little preliminary consultation with those affected.
Some plans need to go back to the drawing board.
Extending the pedestrian zone to include Monk Bar would leave a large number of residents and businesses without day time vehicular access. This would include part of the Aldwark development and The Minster
Reducing the number of general parking spaces available in car parks – and reserving the spaces for blue badge holders – is unnecessary (given that spare spaces are available at most time for all potential users).
Erecting 10 mph advisory speed signs at the entrance to the zone would simply add to the street clutter. The few vehicles that could still enter the area are unlikely to travel quickly.
Evening parking spaces in Blake Street, Lendal, Goodramgate and Duncombe Place would be lost. Some of these, at least, add to active feel of the city particularly on winter evenings.
Closing the Blake Street slip road (from Duncombe Place) would have little effect (it is only used regularly by a horse and cart)
We will review the more controversial, and costly, proposals for physical changes tomorrow.
Traffic proposals summary (click to enlarge)
