Cyclists without lights targeted in York police safety campaign

A clampdown on people cycling without lights in York has been hailed a success.
Incident - Cycle

Police officers and PCSOs, supported by volunteer Special Constables, took part in an operation at Bootham, Micklegate and Walmgate bars last night, aimed at keeping cyclists and other road users safe.

The vast majority of cyclists seen by officers were correctly and safely using lights. However, 36 Traffic Offence Reports were issued to cyclists who didn’t have lights on their bikes

A number of sets of emergency cycle lights and high-visibility rucksack covers were issued to some people who didn’t have lights, to enable them to carry on their journey safely – for example, to young people who would otherwise have had to walk a long distance home.

The lights and rucksack covers have been funded by City of York Council – part of a cycle safety campaign that ran for the first time last year.

Inspector Lee Pointon, of York Police, said: “The operation was really well received, with many pedestrians stopping to make positive comments about the proactive campaign.

“We will undertake further operations over the next few weeks, ensuring that we continue to have a direct and positive effect on the safety of people in the city.”

Cyclists are urged to visit www.northyorkshire.police.uk/cyclesafety for police videos and advice on cycling safely.

Rise in number of apprenticeships in York

 Breadmaker apprentice

City of York Council has welcomed figures showing a 30 percent increase in the number of people starting apprenticeships in the past year making it the UK’s sixth top-performing local authority.

Figures released by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills have shown that 1,690  York residents have started an apprenticeship in the last year (2014/15), 390 more than the last academic year.

The statistics also show York to be one of the highest performing local authorities for Apprenticeship growth amongst businesses with York ranking sixth out of 151 at full Local Authority level, meaning it is in the top four per cent of Local Authorities.

The figures also showed that around 20 percent of this growth in apprenticeships was generated by the council-led York Apprenticeship Hub which helps small businesses new to apprenticeships, supporting them through the process and helping them find the training provider and right person for the job.
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Over 300 York businesses benefit from scheme to increase broadband speeds

BroadbandAs the Connection Voucher scheme to improve broadband infrastructure closes, City of York Council has welcomed news that hundreds of businesses and registered charities in York have benefitted from the offer.

Since the scheme launched in April 2014, around 350 York businesses and registered charities have benefitted from the scheme.

Funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the scheme offered grants of up to £3,000 for SMEs and registered charities seeking faster and better broadband.
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Insensitive frontpage Press design attracts contempt

Press front page 17th Nov 2015

 

The local Press newspaper is generally an asset to the City.We are fortunate, in a world of instant social media access to news, that we have retained a daily newspaper which can provide some local  context and editorial depth.

But yesterday they got it baldy wrong when they ran a story about the apparent imminent arrival of 6o refugees into the City.

In reality we can expect a trickle of refugees starting sometime in 2016 – a fact that had been know for several days.

Most will be fleeing terrorism. Their profile is likely to reflect many religions and age groups, although the Government are known to be prioritising the resettlement of orphans.

Comments attributed to the Councils Deputy Leader were made two weeks ago as the Council was forced to provide an update on a process which started in September. 

However, even worse than the timing of the Press story, was the way it was presented on the paper’s front page.

With much of the western world still in a state of shock over the Paris killings, a sensitive editor would have avoided either militaristic images or comments likely to stir up anti migrant sentiments.

Putting the two together was crass.

It maybe that the move of editorial control of the paper to Bradford is to blame?

Whatever the reason, the newspaper did a disservice yesterday to the existing and potential residents of our City 

What’s on: The city as archive – Francis Drake’s Eboracum

Wed 18 Nov : 7.00pm – 8.00pm

CityPublished in 1736, Francis Drake’s Eboracum offers an unprecedented record of the history of an English city outside of London.

This lecture will explore the effects of such a publication in the 18th century, how it represented the living city as an already-archived object, and how it shaped the perceptions of York in the mid-eighteenth century.

Open to all. Tickets can be purchased from any Explore Library, by phoning 01904 552800 or from www.feelinginspired.co.uk