Coronavirus York updates; 1st May 2021

Deaths

There have been no further hospital deaths announced today

Test results

Four positive test results announced today. Brings cumulative total up to 12,274

The number of cases in the City has increased from 49 yesterday to 54 today

The rate /100k population rate now 25.64. That is the highest seen in the City since March.

The York and North Yorkshire infection rates are now above the national average.

Neighbourhoods

There are eleven neighbourhoods now with more than 3 cases in each

Vaccinations

Tests

4396 PCR tests were conducted during the week ending 26th April.
Of these, 0.9% were positive. That represents an increase on the 0.7% recorded on the previous day.
1683 “lateral flow” tests were also undertaken on 30th April.

Transport changes in York

A raft of changes to transport and travel in York will be discussed at a meeting taking place on 11th May. The changes include

e-scooters & e-bikes

Officials claim that there have been no accidents involving the hire scooters since they were introduced to York last year. No information is provided on reliability or the scooters vulnerability to vandalism.

Very recently e-bikes have been added to the hire options available.

Officials are now proposing to extend their availability to areas outside the outer ring road. Initially these will include Haxby, Wigginton and Poppleton.

Bus franchising option rejected.

The Government is set to end the COVID-19 bus support grants in July 2021. They may be extended in certain circumstances.

Councillors are set to reject an opportunity to introduce bus franchising into the City. In effect this option allows the Council to seek tenders to run bus services on specific routes or zones. It offers an opportunity to influence fare levels and frequencies and avoids competition. However, it could be a very expensive option

In York, which (pre virus) had a generally well used bus service, several routes already operate on a contract basis. These include the popular park and ride services and those to and from the University.

Seven bus companies currently operate in York. The largest in First.

Instead of extended franchise working, the authority seems likely to opt for what is known as an “enhanced partnership”.

By October, Councils must publish a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), setting out how bus services will be improved in the local area.

ResPark decision for Tadcaster Road area

The Council is set to turn down a request for a Res Parking zone to be set up in the Slingsby Grove/Royal Chase area. Residents turned the idea down in a recent poll.

A scheme will be introduced in the St Edwards Close area where the majority of residents supported the idea.

Digital traffic management initiative for A59 and A1079

After several months of silence, a report has been produced on the progress being made in further automating real time traffic management systems in the City.

Image result for smart transport evolution programme gif

Called the “Smart Transport Evolution Programme” (STEP), the government funded initiative, would see a newly deployed real-time traffic model used in the City.

It will forecast road conditions 5-60 minutes ahead and could produce alerts allowing Network Monitoring Officers to make pre-emptive traffic interventions.

The Council says that the £2.8 million system would give them the “the ability to forecast near-future traffic conditions and make pre-emotive traffic interventions which will improve the overall efficiency of the road network, resulting in a greater ability to prioritise road space for users in line with the Council’s Road User Hierarchy.

This can include improved bus service schedule adherence, “with an ability to resolve issues that affect public transport services at an earlier point in time”

The system “allows York to prepare for advances in urban travel such as Connected and Autonomous Vehicles”. Image result for self drive vehicle gif

“The programme will shortly be delivering a Green Light Optimal Speed Advisory trial to the A59 and A1079, a service that sends real-time and future traffic signals conditions into smart phones and cars with advice on the most efficient speed to travel safely at to get through on green”

Providing travellers with up-to-date information about what conditions they can expect to encounter on journeys should be an important part of any future travel strategy.

We therefore wish the project well.

The inability of the Council to provide even parking space availability feeds into sat. nav. systems, web sites and street signs does, however, give some cause for concern.

Majority oppose major changes at St Leonard’s Place/Bootham/Gillygate junction

It looks like the proposal to change traffic signal priorities at the Gillygate/Bootham/St Leonard’s Place junction will be abandoned.

Some York Councillors had apparently favoured introducing additional delays on traffic flows through the junction as part of a signal renewal programme.

The revised arrangement – although improving pedestrian facilities – could have resulted in a 40% increase in travel times with some journeys being diverted onto already busy alternative routes.

There would also have been a consequential increase in air pollution levels on streets like Gillygate because of standing traffic. Bus journey times would have increased.

A public consultation exercise was undertaken to test residents’ reactions to the plan. Despite some leading questions being included in the on-line survey, most respondents (58%) have come out against major changes.

Although the junction is far from ideal for all road users, it currently reflects the compromises that come if you wish to conserve the historic features of a City like York.

A report will be considered next week.

The responses to the consultation do reveal a growing chasm between the views of people who live within walking distance of the City centre and those who use personal transport to travel to the facilities that are located there.

There is a lack of empathy between the two groups which suggests that finding a consensus on a new transport plan for the City (click) may prove to be illusive.