People who live, work and travel in and around Askham Bar will be able to comment on plans to change the road layout for the new, extended Park & Ride.

Since £22 million government funding was awarded late last year for City of York Council’s Access York project to improve traffic flow and access to the city, detailed designs to support the planning applications granted in 2009/10 have been developed.

As part of the plans, the oversubscribed Askham Bar Park & Ride site will be rebuilt with 1,100 spaces behind the Tesco supermarket off Tadcaster Road. The outline designs of the new access junction south of Sim Balk Lane are ready for local residents, businesses and road users to view and comment on from 30 January until 24 February.

Funding has also been granted for a brand new 600-space Park & Ride site at Poppleton Bar off the A59. The project also includes a proposal to upgrade the A59/A1237 roundabout and provide bus priorities along Boroughbridge Road. These changes aim to reduce delays at the most congested location on the ring road, and to improve bus journey times into the city. Public consultation on the detail of the road layout changes in the A59/A1237 area will start on 6 February and details will be issued shortly.

The Askham Bar Park & Ride proposals can be seen at www.york.gov.uk/askhambar
Responses can be emailed to accessyork@york.gov.uk or posted to Tony Clarke, Transport Programme Manager, City Strategy, City of York Council, FREEPOST (YO 239), York, YO1 7ZZ.

Displays of the designs will be held at Dringhouses Library and at 9, St. Leonard’s Place from 30 January to 24 February during normal opening hours. There will also be a staffed exhibition at the Askham Bar Park & Ride site on Tuesday 7 February from 8am to 7pm.

The proposals will also be presented to the Rural West Ward Committee at Howell Hall, Copmanthorpe on Wednesday 8 February (pre-meeting surgery starts at 6:30pm)

Leaflets describing the proposals will also be distributed to local residents.
All comments on the plans must be received by 24 February 2012.

Detectives in York are appealing for a vital witness to come forward following a robbery in the city.
A small hatchback drove directly past the scene of the incident and officers believe that the driver of the vehicle will have seen what happened.

At around 2.30am on Friday 27 January 2012 a 32-year-old man from Wirral, Merseyside, was attacked by two men outside Marks & Spencer’s loading bay on Piccadilly.

The men assaulted him in the middle of the road and stole his Blackberry and some cash before running off in the direction of the Travelodge at Postern Gate.

The victim was taken to York District Hospital for treatment to facial injuries sustained during the incident. He has since been discharged.

Officers, who have been reviewing CCTV footage and making enquiries in the area, are appealing for anyone who witnessed the robbery to come forward.

Detective Constable Julie Carter, of York CID, said: “This was a nasty incident which has left the victim with a quite serious facial injury.

“I am appealing to anyone who witnessed the incident itself or was in the Piccadilly area of York around the time of the robbery to contact the police or Crimestoppers with information.

“It is particularly important that the driver of the vehicle who drove past the incident as it happened gets in touch as they may have information which could help the investigation.

Anyone who can help the investigation is urged to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 – select option 2 – and ask for DC Julie Carter or York CID.

Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111, quoting reference number 12120013679.

Rebecca Taylor

Rebecca Taylor will replace Diana Wallis as one of Yorkshires Liberal Democrat MEPs at the end of the month.

Rebecca Taylor was born and raised in Todmorden, West Yorkshire and went to University in Sheffield and Leeds.

Rebecca is a specialist in EU health and food policy and has worked for health professionals, patient groups and the pharmaceutical industry. “I am passionate about access to healthcare and I believe that EU cooperation in health has the potential to bring great benefits to the Yorkshire & Humber region.”

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A fairer tax system, putting money back in the pockets of ordinary people, was demanded by Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg today in a major speech which has already received positive reaction from across the political spectrum.

The centre-piece of the speech was a call for the Coalition to move further and faster on introducing a £10,000 income tax allowance, taking millions more out of income tax completely and saving working people £700 per year on average.

This would be paid for by increasing the amount of tax paid by the very richest and blocking Conservative moves to cut the top tax rate.