Dozens of cyclists spoken to in bike light safety operation in York

A campaign to keep road users safe in York saw 17 cyclists reported for offences and 12 more given words of advice on Tuesday 18 October.

Officers were at the city’s

Micklegate,
Bootham and
Walmgate Bars

for two hours on Tuesday evening, to target the minority of cyclists who cause a danger to themselves and others by cycling without lights during hours or darkness, as well as those who cycle on footpaths.

The high-profile campaign will continue as the nights draw in, with further evening operations planned.

As part of the campaign, City of York Council has funded high-visibility rucksack covers and small sets of emergency cycle lights. They will be offered to young people and other vulnerable people who would otherwise have to walk home if they were forced to continue their journey without lights. Officers will continue to issue tickets for cycling offences if necessary.

PCSO Chris Turner, of York Police, said: “The nights are getting much darker now, and it is really important that cyclists take their safety on the roads seriously. Having lights on your bike which are in good working order is essential to ensure that other road users can see you and drive accordingly.

“This operation has in the past been well-received by cyclists, pedestrians and motorists. Thanks to our joint work with City of York Council, cyclists who put themselves and others at risk can be educated and sent on their way, not just with a ticket or fine, but also with the means to get home safely if they are vulnerable.”

Moor Lane, Dringhouses set to be closed for resurfacing works from next Tuesday

The council will be carrying out essential resurfacing on several roads in York, including Huntington Road, Campleshon Road, Bad Bargain Lane, Moor Lane, Low Green and Fulfordgate from 24 October.

Work is set to take place on:

·Moor Lane from 25 October for two days with work taking place from 9.15am – 4pm. A temporary road closure from the junction of A1237 Ring Road to the junction of Cairnborrow will be necessary whilst works are taking place.
Huntington Road from 24 October for five days with work taking place from 9.15am-4pm. A temporary road closure from the junction of Link Road to the junction of Brockfields Road will be necessary whilst works are taking place.
· Campleshon Road from 24 October for one day with work taking place from 9.15am till 11pm. A temporary road closure will be in place during working hours. A signed diversion route will be in place for motorists during this time.
· Bad Bargain Lane from 25 October for two days with work taking place from 9.15am-5pm Monday to Friday. A temporary road closure from the junction of Burnholme Drive to the junction of Meadlands will be necessary whilst works are taking place.
· · Low Green, Copmanthorpe from 27 October for two days with work taking place from 8am – 5pm. A temporary road closure will be in place during working hours. Throughout the works the cycle lane/footpath between Merchant Way and Low Green will be open to vehicle traffic. This will be managed using two way lights and safety signs to ensure the safety of all road users.
· Fulfordgate on 27 October for one day with work taking place from 8am-5pm. A temporary road closure of Fulfordgate will be in place during working hours. Residents are advised there will be no access or egress for vehicles during working hours except in emergencies.

As with any construction work, there is likely to be a certain amount of disruption. Residents are assured that everything reasonably possible will be done to keep this to a minimum, however motorists should expect some delays and plan their journey accordingly.

The contractor carrying out the work will be responsible for safety and providing pedestrian access at all times.

Number of York jobseekers falls by 20 compared to August

DIFF-HAPPY-JOBS-940 Figures released by the Office of National Statistics show a 26.4 percent reduction over the past year in the number of people claiming jobseekers allowance in York.

In September 2015 there were 720 claimants.

However, the number of residents claiming Universal Credit rose from 638 in August to 648 in September. This is the second successive month when long term unemployed numbers in the City have increased.

However it comes at a time when some employers are saying that they are having difficulty filling vacancies. First York blamed the lack of drivers on recent service interruptions.

The Jobseekers Allowance claimant count for York represents 0.4 per cent of the working population and contrasts to the regional average which stands at 1.6 per cent. The figures are also much lower than the national average which stands at 1.3 per cent.

Reuse and salvage – Questions about York approach

One of the most short sighted decisions of the York Council’s Labour administration between 2011 – 2015 was their decision to scrap plans for a “reuse and salvage” centre.

The facility could have been located at Harewood Whin and – as well as replacing the Beckfield Lane recycling facility which was closed in 2012 – would have provided 21st century salvage facilities for surplus items in the City.

Electrical equipment skip at Hazel Court.

More important, it would have introduced a more professional approach to the re-use of unwanted, but still serviceable, items.

That need is currently partly met by the internet based Freecycle and similar groups but large numbers of usable objects still find themselves in the land-fill stream.

Today, visitors to the Hazel Court amenity site witnesses a good example of the issue. One resident arrived with a set of perfectly serviceable wooden dining chairs. They would have found their way into the timber recycling skip had not another visitor offered them a new home. But that was down to luck not planning.

Recycling is more costly, and energy intensive, than simply reusing items…..even if some need repair or a coat of paint.

The Council still persists in asking residents to drop electrical goods into a steel container from a height of 3 metres jeopardising any opportunity to reuse the computers, printers, phones and other potentially valuable items which fill the skip each day.

The Council must take an independent look at the range of re-use services that are available in the city.

They then need to expand them and make sure that the options available are communicated regularly, and effectively, to local residents.

So they’re really going to do this to Cliffords Tower!

cliffords-tower-york-plans-front

Council officials are recommending that the controversial new visitor centre at Clifford’s Tower should get the “go ahead”

Clifford Tower Georgian Society quote In a report to next weeks planning committee, they propose to overrule the views of just about every major conservation group in the City.

Those objecting to the English Heritage plan include:

YORK CIVIC TRUST
THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF ANCIENT BUILDINGS
YORK GEORGIAN SOCIETY
GUILDHALL PLANNING PANEL
RIVER FOSS SOCIETY

Guildhall planning panel In the main the objections refer to the loss of a unique view of the City although some criticise the architectural approach. Several say any visitor centre should form part of an holistic approach incorporating improvements to the adjacent car park.

The repairs and improvements planned for the Tower itself have generally been welcomed.

The proposed visitor centre has been criticised as intrusive and out of scale

What’s on in York: Illuminating York Minster, 26th – 29th October

click for more information

Illuminating York is back and set to be more innovative than ever in 2016. Jason Bruges Studio are creating a choreographed light work for York Minster.

This ticketed event offers festival-goers a unique opportunity to experience and explore York Minster by night in an entirely new way.

Jason Bruges Studio are internationally renowned for producing innovative installations, interventions and ground breaking works including the dynamic illumination of The Shard (London) for New Year’s Eve countdown in 2014.

For York Minster they are creating an immersive experience – working as ‘light masons’ they will orchestrate moving beams of light to create new shapes and spaces within the cavernous nave of the Minster.

click for tickets

Adult:£8
Child: £3.50
Family (2 adults 2 children): £20 (saving £3 on the late ticket price)

Groups of 30+ get a free adult ticket for every ten adults.

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