Carriageway failed in Vesper Drive
The Council has published an updated list of outstanding highway and footpath resurfacing works that it is undertaking this year.
Work on Vesper Drive is now scheduled for mid November, while Front Street (shops area) and Hamilton Drive West will start in early November
The programme is:
(more…)
It looks like the installation of barriers at the Marygate car park – which cost taxpayers £100,000 – has reduced Council income by around £35,000 (20%) over the last 3 months.
Income from Marygate Car Park in the 13 week period from 30th June to 28th September totalled £142,000 in 2014/15.
The equivalent figure for 2013/14 was £177,000.
Those expecting the blame to be placed on faulty barriers – they have been jammed in the raised position on a number of occasions recently – will be disappointed.
The York Council says,
“There have been some minor faults which, as with all newly introduced schemes, is to be expected whilst the system beds in. These have been dealt with expeditiously with minimal disruption to the fee-paying public”. (!)
It is the latest in a series of parking management blunders since Labour took control of the Council in 2011.
Most residents have faced a 100% increase in the amount that they pay to park while the Council sold off the Haymarket car park for a fraction of its true value in the depth of the recession.
In response to a question tabled by the Liberal Democrats at the last Council meeting, Labour have admitted that only 6,300 of the new £20 Minster badges have been sold so far.
Over 30,000 of the old style badges were in circulation.
A Minster badge is necessary to qualify for free evening parking. It also entitles users to a discount on day time parking fees.
The relatively low take up of the badges suggests that the charging scheme may be discouraging residents from visiting and shopping in the City centre.
The Labour Councillor with responsibility for car parking in York has admitted that he doesn’t know how many drivers are taking advantage of the “free” car parking available at a limited number of locations on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
More worryingly, he says that the impact of the scheme on the Councils car parking account is impossible to calculate because of other factors such as the opening of the new Park and Ride site at Poppleton.
The Council are promising to check the vehicle counters at individual car parks over the next few weeks to try to get some idea of the impact that the – very expensive – scheme is having.
Subjectively it does appear that the morning rush hour has been busier over the last couple of months with journey times increasing.
When introduced, the free parking scheme was criticised by many as encouraging more vehicles onto the road during the morning peak period.
This represents only a little over 10% of the total penalty notices issued.
Labour have set an arbitrary deadline of the end of December 2014 by which applications for refunds must be made.
The responsible Cabinet member claims not to know where the applications originated and the suspicion remains that tourists and other visitors to the City remain largely unaware that the refunds are available.
As we have said before, the reputational damage to York is irreversible but we believe that the new “balanced” Council must take immediate steps, to write to all these who were fined, telling them about the refund process.
It also seems reasonable to remove the deadline for applications.
With Labour having lost their overall Council majority they will no longer be able to block a public Inquiry into the actions that they took during the Lendal Bridge fiasco
Separately the Council has confirmed that its appeal against a parallel ruling on fines imposed on Coppergate, using similar signage and enforcement methods, has still not been heard.
Currently no enforcement action is taking place of the Coppergate access restrictions.
Our new mosaic built by learners from a fantastic York Learning course and finished by the community at ADAM fest! pic.twitter.com/ThfJIu6sfj
— AcombExploreLibrary (@acombexplore) October 18, 2014
Andrew Waller is opposing more green bin charges
As previously reported, this new charge would apply to all green bins not just the supplementary bin charge introduced last year.
Most residents feel that the “winter break” for green bin emptying comes too early in the season. Many homes now have only one more bin emptying day before the service is suspended at the beginning of November.
Like last year, leaf fall has only just begun and adding this source of compostable material to grey bins will do little to improve York’s – now relatively poor – recycling rates.
