Major improvements announced at Westfield School

Westfield school

A meeting of the Councils Executive will be asked next week to agree to an investment of £650,000 at Westfield Primary school

The money will be spent modernising and expanding school meal provision at the school.

A report  describes the background to the plan. ”

The increasing number of pupils at the school has highlighted the problems the  school currently has around the management of the school meals service as more pupils are having a school meal.

The proposed scheme will include work on both the dining and kitchen areas which will address current safety concerns and enable more pupils to access nutritional school meals”.

Wetherby Road roundabout improvements – public consultation results published

The Council has revealed that 170 responses were received to its consultation on the design of the new Wetherby Road/A1237 roundabout.

In a report to a meeting taking place next week, officials claim that “as far as possible” the final design takes into account public views.

Officials highlight the following specific changes

  1. Proposed widening of the footway on the southern side of the
    B1224 to provide shared pedestrian/cycle route standard to
    enable users to cross at surface level to the B1224 heading
    west (see para 13 above)
  2. Proposed maintenance lay-by incorporated into the roundabout
    island
  3. Increase in provision of landscaping around the junction and
    on the roundabout island

The main issues raised by residents were:

  • The roundabout should include designated pedestrian / cyclist
    facilities
  • Spending money on this roundabout, and all the other roundabouts, is deemed “a waste of money”
  • Additional signing / road markings are required to ensure that
    vehicles merge in turn as part of the upgraded roundabout
    proposals
  •  The A1237 should be dualled
  •  The scheme is a good idea

A full list of the views expressed can be viewed by clicking here

The improvement is expected to cost £3.6 million

If approved, work on the roundabout is expected to start in June.

Separately from the roundabout scheme, work is progressing on providing an off road cycle/pedestrian link from Rufforth to Acomb

Idyllic scenes on the Ouse BUT…

Cyclists will be hoping that the York Council’s announcement that £500,000 will be spent upgrading major cycle routs in the City will allow for work to be undertaken on the York – Selby path. In places, the popular leisure route has become very uneven following the ravages of winter.

River Ouse at Naburn today. Well within its banks

Snow melt has caused large ponds to form on low woodland

The cycle track is still scarred by graffiti and dumping. The Council no longer clears graffiti unless it is judged to be obscene.

Big increase in potholes as ice takes its toll

Some of the worst potholes have appeared on the Castle car park,. They are a hazard for pedestrians and could damage vehicles. The Council needs to take swift action to fill them in.

Councillors have been out and about reporting highway defects like this one on Askham Lane. Cllr Sheena Jackson has reported potholes on Walker Drive

Sheena has also been engaged with Talk Talks broadband installation programme. There has been more surface damage to roads and footpaths than was expected in some areas.