Acomb Moor tree cut down – no consultation

 

It appears that the York Council ordered one of the trees on Foxwood Lane – adjacent to Acomb Moor – to be cut down.

20131122_155950 Acomb Moor tree felling 1100 hours 1st April 2014

They claim it was diseased.

There was no consultation with residents or local Councillors.

Suspicions were raised that the felling was connected with the proposals contained in the Councils new draft Local Plan which could see Acomb Moor built on.

NB Meanwhile the Council has finally started to publish the objections made to Labour’s Local Plan.

They are unsorted and largely impenetrable in their present form

Lendal Bridge and Coppergate fines – York Council acted unlawfully rules independent adjudicator

Call for resignations at Council

Lendal Bridge signs

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse for York’s Labour Council it has.

Reports are coming in that the governments independent adjudicator has ruled that fines issued using ANPR cameras on both Lendal Bridge and Coppergate are unenforceable.

The consequences for the Council which has raised around £1 million from fines levied in both locations are likely to be far reaching. Any driver who chooses to appeal against the fine is now likely to have the charge refunded.

In some cases the Adjudicator has the power to order the Council to pay the appellants costs.

In the main, the adjudicator has criticised the signage used to advertise both orders.

He also concludes that Lendal Bridge could not reasonably be regarded as a “bus lane” given the number of exemptions given by the Council.

We have said all along that the Council closed the wrong bridge, in the wrong year and using the wrong method of enforcement.

They compounded their mistakes by failing to consult properly and by relying on inadequate signage.

The Cabinet members with responsibility for the scheme should now resign.

The ANPR cameras should be switched off immediately.

A more measured approach to improving transport systems in York in the future is required.

The full test case adjudication result can be downloaded by clicking here