In the 12 months up to December 2012, the Office of National Statistics report shows that crime has been reduced by 10% across the York and North Yorkshire force area.

This is 3,963 fewer victims of crime compared to the previous 12 months, with a total of 36,050 crimes.

Also, 67% of people who responded to a national crime survey said North Yorkshire Police deals with local concerns. While 66% agreed that the police and local councils deal with issues. This is one of the highest public confidence ratings in the country.

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Below are enforcement locations for North Yorkshire Police’s mobile safety cameras for week commencing Wednesday 24 April 2013.

The mobile safety cameras will be in operation at the following sites at various times during the dates stated. Cameras will not be in use all day, every day. The locations were accurate when this news release was produced.

Routes for the week ahead:

•A64 Eastbound Tadcaster by-pass
•A64 Westbound Tadcaster by-pass
•Beckfield lane York
•A1036 Tadcaster Road York
•Strensall Rd Huntington York
•A1036 Malton Road York
•Temple Lane Copmanthorpe York
•York Road Haxby York
•Towthorpe Road Haxby York
•Main Street Askham Richard
•Murton Way Murton York
•The Village Stockton On Forest York
•A1237 Monks Cross York
•Greenshaw Drive Haxby York
•B1228 Dunnington Lodge Elvington York
•Skipwith Road, Escrick
•Church Lane, Wheldrake
•A1237 Monks Cross York
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The Council are planning to introduce access restrictions aimed at forcing vehicles to enter the British Sugar development site on Boroughbridge Road direct from the A1237.

They say that “access only” will be allowed in the area encompassed by Wetherby Road, Beckfield Lane and the A59. Most of the roads in this area are cul de sacs anyway so they don’t have any “through” traffic.

Including Wetherby Road in such a zone would, of course, prevent vehicles travelling through it to Acomb!

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In turn this would produce chaotic congestion on other access routes and significantly increase journey times and fuel costs.

No funding has been identified for the dualling of the A1237 between Wetherby Road and the A59 (and beyond) with even the most optimistic estimate giving a 2024 start for such an improvement.

The Council is probably concerned about traffic levels on Beckfield Lane when the 998 homes are completed on the British Sugar site.

Add in the 308 homes that Labour now also wants to build on the former Civil Service Sports Ground at Millfield Lane and there is the potential for a huge growth in traffic.

Making Beckfield Lane itself “access only” might offer some relief to local residents.

But the real solution is to scale back some of the housing targets to realistic and sustainable levels.

Balfour Beatty has been appointed to deliver the first phase of the £22.7 million Access York project, which received the green light from the Department for Transport in March.

The scheme, which is one of the largest single investments in York’s transport infrastructure, involves the development of two park and ride sites on the outskirts of the city.

Congestion levels along the routes into the city centre will be cut by increasing the parking capacity to 1,100 vehicles at Askham Bar Park and Ride and building a new 600-vehicle facility at Poppleton Bar.
Junctions to the new sites will be provided off the A59 and A1036 and major improvements to the A59/A1237 roundabout will be delivered as part of the works, which will run for a total of 54 weeks from May 2013 through to May 2014.

For more information about the new Park & Ride sites please visit www.york.gov.uk/parkandride http://www.york.gov.uk/parkandride

The Local Trading Standards team is putting its weight behind a national campaign to tackle rogue traders and help protect local consumers from being ripped off with new cold calling zones being researched across the city this week.

Operation Rogue Trader week runs from Monday 22 to Friday 26 April during whichthe council’s Trading Standards teamas part of its ongoing work is visiting traders advising on customers’ cancellation rights and legislation on branding and quality. It’s also been visiting consumers to advise them on their rights when entering into contracts at home following visits by door-to-door sellers.

The council’s team of consumer rights experts has also begun investigations into breaches of consumer protection legislation which involves a trader falsely claiming to be a member of a trader’s association, and has conducted a formal interview of one trader alleged to be carrying out unnecessary roof repairs.

Yorkshire and the Humber Trading Standards Group – known as the Scambusters team based at City of York Council – has started legal proceedings against five individuals for a total 13 offences involved in a council tax rebate scam.

This involves cold calling local York residents offering to challenge their council tax banding, lower their payments and recoup past overpayments. Following a £175 payment upfront, submissions are rarely made to the council tax office and when they are, their quality is so poor they are frequently rejected. The charges being levied include conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, blackmail and acting as a director when banned from holding the post.

Trading Standards team members will also be attending the council’s Crime Summit and will be offering residents advice from a stall at the day-long city centre Community Safety Market on Thursday 25 April.