Lib Dems call for Lendal Bridge to reopen

Simon Hughes MP and Cllr Keith Aspden

Simon Hughes MP and Cllr Keith Aspden

 

York Liberal Democrats will formally call for Lendal Bridge to reopen at a council meeting later this month.

The council’s six month trial closure was due to end on the 27th February, but Labour have extended the restrictions indefinitely as they are yet to make a decision on whether the bridge should reopen.

Since the closure started in August over 45,000 motorists have been fined for crossing the bridge and the trial has been attacked by businesses, residents and tourist groups. The latest figures show that traffic levels on Foss Islands Road and Water End at Clifton Bridge have increased while the trial has failed to improve overall bus times or air quality.

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Parking lay-by request on Askham Lane

 

Askham Lane potential parking layby

Tenants living in flats at the high numbered end of Askham Lane have requested the Council to provide a parking lay-by on the wide verge outside their homes.

An increasing number of vehicles have been parking on the verge itself recently.

These have damaged the verge and potentially are a source of danger to pedestrians.

The scheme will have to be consulted on through the next estate improvements ballot.

 

Tennis coaching

Get into the swing

Date: Wed 19 Mar and Sun 21 Mar Time: 9.30am to 10.30am Venue: Tennis Courts, Hull Road Park Cost: £3 per session or £25 for 10 weeks

This 10 week tennis course is aimed at beginners or adults who have not played for a while. Sessions start on Wed 19 March  and Sun 21 March at Hull Road Park. More.

Empty Council property in York

A number of commercial properties, owned by the York Council, remain empty.

They include 1 Shipton Road (Ashbank), 17/21 Piccadilly, Clementhorpe Maltings (Lower Darnborough St), ,former Railway Canteen (Holgate Rd) and the Parkside Commercial Centre.

Some are being actively marketed but it seems that the Railway Canteen may simply be demolished. It was originally purchased, many years ago, for possible use as a community centre.

The Parkside Commercial Centre has also been empty for several years. Its sale was agreed in 2010 but little progress has been made since. Guildhall sources blame planning delays. Planning permission for a 3 storey office building was granted in July 2013.

Foxwood Lane

Foxwood Lane

Meanwhile York’s longest void Council house remains unoccupied. 102 Foxwood Lane has been empty since sewage problems were discovered. The Council blames Yorkshire Water for the delays in bringing the 2 bedroomed bungalow back into use.

It is something of a mystery why they haven’t taken legal action to have the drainage problems resolved.

This section of Foxwood Lane has a record of flooding issues. They are one of the reasons why residents have opposed building on Acomb Moor which is located further up the Lane.

York Council mobile phones

mobile-phones

The York Council has revealed that it rents nearly 2000 mobile phones and other mobile devices for use by its workforce.

Mostly these are Nokia 113, Samsung Galaxy Young and Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini models.

It has now decided to implement a management system for them called air watch

The Council has fewer than 4000 employees with 3500 registered for IT helpdesk support.

The relatively high ratio of corporate phones to employee numbers has not been the subject of any recent review by the Councils audit committee.

Air quality in York

Lorry smoke

The Council has published some air quality measurement statistics which can be downloaded from here.

The results are from some of the Councils nitrogen dioxide diffusion tube monitors including those located on Leeman Road and Clifton Green.

The results are largely inconclusive and tend to demonstrate that prevailing weather conditions are the main factor influencing air quality.

The Council says that corrected results for 2013 are currently being processed and will be available in April.

The annual average air quality objective set by the Government for nitrogen dioxide is 21ppb

Over 700 residents sign up to energy switch scheme!

Over 700 residents have signed up to the collective energy switching scheme, which could lead to average savings of £158 on their gas and electricity bills.

The council partnered with energy switching expert’s iChoosr to make it easy and simple for residents to consider switching their energy tariffs. Residents had from December 10 until February 17 to sign up to the scheme.

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