Traffic signals and parking barriers still proving to be unreliable in York

Traffic signals

This year to date (1st Jan to 3rd Dec) there have been a total of 696  traffic signal faults reported to the York Council’s maintenance contractors.

This number was 678 for the same period last year.

The Council does not have a means of recording the total duration for which signals have been out of operation; however, for high priority faults in this period – which are recorded in their own indicator – 91% were resolved within 4 hours, compared to 82% for the same period last year.

Marygate car park

Barrier faults have occurred during a total of 17 days since they were introduced at the Marygate car park. Currently income from the car park is less than it was when operated on a pay and display basis.Marygate-car-park-equipment-768x1024

Income from the Marygate car park, from the start of July to the end of October, totalled £231,000 in 2014/15.

The equivalent figure for 2013/14 was £246,000.

The York Council spent £100,000 installing the barrier system at Marygate.

NB. The Council has admitted that due to faults on its automated vehicle counting systems it doesn’t know how many motorists have taken advantage of the free parking offer which is available at some car parks from Thursday to Saturday. 

Overall income from car parking is, however, over £400,000 below budgeted levels.

Ice brings first test for Councils new gritting policy

The reduced frequency of gritting (salting) on York’s roads – introduced in 2013 but not really tested last year because of the mild winter – will be under scrutiny for the next few weeks.Snow in York

Several roads – including the 26 bus route and the Green Lane access to Hob Moor school – were taken off the de-icing schedule.

Other public services are also suffering from neglect with large volumes of fallen leaves still on roads and footpaths, and the arrival of ice could make conditions lethal for elderly pedestrians and cyclists.

Many salt bins also still require maintenance.

Accident levels will also be under close scrutiny.

The Council has now said that it will cut the costs of running its “Cabinet” and put the savings into “winter maintenance”.

But this (welcome) initiative looks to be a case of “too little, too late”.