Mobile safety camera routes York area

Below are the enforcement locations for North Yorkshire Police’s mobile safety cameras for week commencing 13 August 2014.

North Yorks speed camera vanThe safety cameras are now more visible then ever before with each of the three vehicles bearing the same hi-vis livery as North Yorkshire Police’s marked vehicle fleet. Photos attached.

All safety camera locations are published on the force website along with an explanation of the various route types.

Members of the public can now view the results of the safety camera enforcement activity on the force website. Up to date data for the previous week is uploaded every Tuesday which can be interrogated by route and date ranges.  http://www.northyorkshire.police.uk/10951

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

Due to operating constraints, our mobile safety camera locations may change without prior warning.

  • The cameras operate at three difference types of site, these are:
    •Exceptional sites which are identified through the speed management protocol as being of community concern.
    •Motorcycle routes – route used by motorcycles that have a high incidence of collisions and anti social behaviour.
    •Killed or seriously injured – sites where people have been killed or seriously injured and where excess or inappropriate speed has been deemed to be a factor.

The list below now includes the site types.

  • A1237 Monks Cross, York – Motorcycle
  • A64 east-bound, Heslington York – Killed or seriously injured
  • A64 west-bound, Heslington York – Killed or seriously injured
  • A64 west-bound, Street Houses, Bilborough – Killed or seriously injured
  • Millfield Lane, Poppleton, York – Community concern
  • Strensall Road, Huntington, York – Community concern
  • Tadcaster Road, Dringhouses, York – Community concern
  • Church Lane, Wheldrake – Community concern
  • Greenshaw Drive, Haxby – Community concern

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York Council racks up £20,000 bill for propaganda films

Lendal Bridge video click to access

Lendal Bridge video click to access

20's plenty video click to access

20’s plenty video click to access

An astute resident, surveying the annual accounts of the York Council, has spotted bills totalling over £20,000 for videos promoting the 20’s plenty campaign and defending the decision to close Lendal Bridge.

The videos were produced by a local company but do not seem to have been subject to a formal tendering process.

At the moment, the brief given to the producers has not been published by the Council.

The videos have been available to view on You Tube for about a year but have attracted little interest.

The 20’s plenty video has been viewed on 1500 occasions while the Lendal bridge  closure – which attracted international notoriety – film has been viewed only 4500 times.

There is a fine line between information and propaganda. Soft sell tactics like these, on highly controversial issues, cross that boundary.

Balance is a serious issue when taxpayer’s money is being used to fund media initiatives.

It would not have been so bad if there had been public discussion on the need for the videos before they were ordered but that is not the way that the current Council does its business.

NB. Concerns have also been raised about payments allegedly exceeding £100,000 for a temporary head of communications (media) at the Council. It appears that the post has been occupied for around 2 years but without any competitive process. The former head of media at Council was paid less than half this figure in 2010.

York unemployment down again

Jobs growth in UK

Jobs growth in UK

Unemployment in York fell to 1.1% in June.

This is down from 1.8% 12 months ago.

Unemployment is now less than North Yorkshire (1.2 %) Yorkshire (3.1%) and Great Britain (2.4%).

Although attention will now switch to the quality of jobs in the City – and maybe concerns about labour shortfalls in areas like care services and retail – effectively the City now has full employment.

 

 

York ready to serve up free school meals to infants

The percentage of pupils in York opting for a school meal is expected to rise from 40% to 63% this September with the introduction of the national initiative offering free school meals to all Key Stage 1 pupils [Reception, Year 1 and Year 2] pupils.

Nick Clegg launching the new scheme last year

Nick Clegg launching the new scheme last year

The scheme was announced by the coalition government  a year ago

City of York Council has been working with primary schools and its school meals catering providers to ensure that all the children wanting a hot school meal can get one.

Each school site has been surveyed and the necessary supplies – from cutlery to ovens and fridges – have been ordered, and trial days have been held in some schools to evaluate how best to facilitate the increased demand for school lunches. Adaptations and additional equipment have been funded through a £370,000 grant from the government.

Evidence shows that eating a good meal at lunchtime has important health and educational benefits for children.

The meals can improve their diet, promote healthy eating habits and increase concentration during afternoon lessons.

Parents with children in Key Stage 1 are encouraged to consider taking up the free school meals offer.
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