Appeal for information following theft of £7000 worth of rings from York Minster Antiques.

Police are appealing for information following a theft of £7000 worth of rings from an antiques shop in York.

The incident occured on 29 August 2015 between 12:30hrs and 13:10hrs at York Minster Antiques, College Street, York.

A dark brown velvet display tray holding 27 rings was taken. The rings have a total value of around £7000 and are quite distinctive, particularly a diamond ring with an especially high setting.

Anyone with information which could assist in this investigation should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask to speak to PC 1843 HUGHES of Fulford Road police station, York. Please quote reference – 12150152511.

If you wish to remain anonymous information can be passed to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Tiger spotted on Jockey Lane

A report outlining proposed safety improvements for both pedestrians and cyclists using Jockey Lane will go to the Decision Session for the Executive Member for Transport and Planning on 10 September.

The proposals include the installation of York’s first “Tiger” pedestrian and cyclist crossing

Tiger cycle and pedestrian crossing. click to access

The report outlines proposals to widen the existing footway allowing the creation of a missing section of shared use pathway between Forge Close on the south side and the delivery access to Sainsbury’s on the north side.

It is also proposed that either a Toucan crossing or Zebra crossing is installed near to the delivery access of Sainsbury’s and Huntington House. If a Zebra crossing is installed this could then be changed to a Tiger Crossing when new legislation comes in to place. This would allow cyclists to also use the crossing without dismounting and would further help to link the two sections of off-road cycle path. The bus stops in the area will also be relocated away from the crossing to further improve safety.

It is also recommended that if a Zebra crossing is chosen that the saving is used to help fund the resurfacing of Jockey Lane from Kathryn Avenue to New Lane. This is based on a view that the whole road condition needs to be improved and there would be an economy of scale in the surfacing contractor being commissioned to do more work.

Cllr Ian Gillies, Executive Member for Transport and Planning, said: “It is important that we work to link up sections of the existing pedestrian and cycle network to help encourage sustainable and healthy modes of travel. This helps to offer a real alternative to single occupancy car journeys in and around York.”

After consulting with North Yorkshire Police they are in favour of the changes and highlight that Zebra crossing currently have a lower accident rate than Toucan crossings.

To attend the meeting or to find out more information please visit http://democracy.york.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=738&MId=9028&Ver=4

Syrian Refugees and York

I’ve had quite a lot of feedback on the article which appeared on Saturday (and which was later partly reproduced by The Press).

Most of the feedback has been positive with one resident offering to accommodate a refugee in her spare room! We are fortunate to live in a free society where we are able to choose how we use our homes.

Several major church and educational establishments have said that they support the City accepting, accommodating and supporting a quota of Syrian refugees

Some reaction has been less positive and ill informed. So for the record:

The current housing waiting list in York is 1546
Each year around 700 vacancies occur in Council or Housing Association properties and are let to those registered on the waiting list.

A campaign is growing that the City should do its bit to ease the humanitarian crisis caused by the conflict in Syria.

It is hoped that politicians (of all parties), churches, schools, Universities, business leaders, voluntary groups and individuals will sign a declaration urging the government to accept a quota of refugees and indicating that the City of York would be prepared to find accommodation for its share of those allowed into the country.

click to sign

39 requests for predestrian crossings in York

The York Council has received 39 requests to install additional pedestrian crossings in the City during the last 5 years.

It has, so far, actually provided only 5 additional crossings in response to the requests.

This has prompted calls for a larger proportion of the Councils transport budget to be spent in future on pedestrian safety.

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