Adult Ed Courses for Xmas

By popular demand…Two further dates for courses in our Christmas series.

We have a one day workshop for Willow Weaving and another for Stained Glass. See below for details or visit our website at www.yortime.org.uk

Note:  courses fill up fast so please enrol as soon as possible as we won’t be able to put on more of these courses until the new year.

Stained Glass – Christmas Stars

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Sat, 14th Dec 10:00 to 15:00
Create your own beautiful and unique stained glass Christmas Star decoration.

 

Willow Weaving – Christmas Decorations

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Sat, 14th Dec 10:00 to 15:00
Make Christmas decorations using willow & other materials, learn about their preparation and uses and make some lovely Christmas decorations.

Rubbish skips this weekend Saturday 9th November

Although the Council has cut back on the number of amenity skips it provides, several residents associations continue to run programmes aimed at making it easier for tenants to get rid of unwanted items.

The skips are only in place for a few minutes and residents must ensure that they put any rubbish into the skips and do not leave it on the path or highway.

1 Hewley Ave 08:30 09:30
2 Rawdon Ave 10:30 11:30
3 Hadrian Ave 12:30 13:30
4 Cambridge St 08:30 09:30
6 Paston Walk 12:30 13:30

Updates…. Gritting, Salt bins, keeping warm, energy prices.

Gritter

You can find out when the gritter is out spreading salt on the roads by following them on “twitter”. Remember though that Labour have taken a number of roads in York off the gritting schedule this year.

Salt bins going

Labour are currently removing most of the local salt bins. If the going gets icy try these

Staying upright: Sticky Feet

Sticky feet

Sticky feet

Well into my adult life I finally got round to trying out slip-on snow grips for my shoes, and these work a wonder. They are rather fiddly to put on (and I would certainly recommend erring on the order of buying a larger rather than smaller size), but once on my trainers they turned slipping and sliding into easy walking. Given the very impressive amounts of grip added by these I highly recommend them if you are wearing shoes or trainers. If you are wearing boots, however, I suspect even the largest size would struggle to fit properly over the toes. You can buy the Sticky Feet slip-on grips for ice and snow here.

 Keeping warm

Radflek

Radflek


Staying warm: Radflex radiator sheets As someone with three radiators against external walls, I’ve become a great fan of the Radflek reflector sheets. They are very easy to install – with little skill beyond the ability to use scissors required – and reflect heat back into your home rather than having it escape via the external wall. The ease of installation appeals to my lack of DIY skills but also makes them suitable for use in rented property – giving even short-term tenants a practical extra insulation option beyond nagging their landlord to do better. You can buy Radflek sheets from Amazon here.

Energy prices

We’ve found OVO one of the most reliable power supply companies. . Read their views  here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24728992 Contact them here

Air quality improving in York ……but

The Council has published its latest data on air quality in York.

The main contaminant – and potential source of health issues – NO2 is reducing overall. However individual street level figures have not been released nor are up to date figures included on the dedicated air quality web site

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

The improvement is put down to the increasing number of low emission vehicles being used on York’s roads.

The Council has been encouraging the transfer to low emission cars since 2003 when parking discounts for small vehicles were introduced (ResPark).

This was followed up in 2010 by the trial use of electric and hybrid buses on some routes in the City.

More recently the coalition government has made funding available for the purchase of “all electric” buses. These will be introduced over the next couple of years.

However the fly in the ointment is the recent change to access arrangements in the City centre. The Lendal Bridge trial is already adding significant amounts of traffic onto routes which already have an air quality issue.

Principle amongst these are Leeman Road and Fulford Road.

While Bootham and Gillygate (traditionally a problem street) have also seen changes.

The Council have so far failed to update their initial trial data report on the closure

Even that made no objective assessment of the closure on pollution levels.

New safety measures for busy Monks Cross road

click for full scale plan

click for full scale plan

City of York Council is set to introduce a new cycle lane and crossing point on a busy route leading to one of York’s top retail and business destinations.

A new cycle/pedestrian route and toucan crossing point will be installed along part of Jockey Lane, leading to Monks Cross.

The scheme is part of a wider initiative to provide a continuous pedestrian/cycle route from York Business Park at Poppleton, to eventually link the route with the retail outlet at Monks Cross and taking in Clifton Moor and residential areas of Rawcliffe, New Earswick, and Huntington by creating an ‘Outer Orbital Route’ for pedestrians and cyclists.

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Another day, another burst water main..York traffic congestion getting worse

Burst water main on Hull Road/Lawrence Street

Burst water main on Hull Road/Lawrence Street

Hull Road was closed to traffic early today following another burst water main.

A contraflow system is now in operation at the junction with Melrosegate.

Traffic congestion is bad in some parts of the City including Fulford Road.

There has been no announcement from the council about whether Lendal Bridge will be open to general traffic today.

Click on map below for up to date information on congestion

click for up to date details

click for up to date details