Traffic signals faulty for 804 hours during last 6 months in York

The York Council has admitted that traffic signal faults have more than doubled in the period between April and October 2013.

Press 17th Oct traffic lights

299 faults were reported with a total “downtime” of 804 hours.

This compares to a total of 790 hours (573 faults) during the whole of the last financial year.

The Council blames serious cabling faults caused by damaged and flooded ducts.

The information was obtained by Cllr Ann Reid who took up the issue at last weeks York Council meeting

However, recent problems seem to have extended the capacity of the repair and maintenance contractors and motorists will be looking for a long term improvement.

Yesterday there was near grid lock conditions in the Foss Islands Road area following the failure of two sets of lights.

Visitors pay 67% of camera fines in York.

The Council has revealed the home location of the drivers caught by their ANPR “invisible policeman” cameras.

A total of 8197 separate addresses have received notifications of penalty charges. Of these 5481 (67%) are addresses outside the YO postcode area.

Coppergate bus lane enforcement plans Click to enlarge

Coppergate bus lane enforcement plans Click to enlarge

As expected about 70% of the penalty notices issued for the new Coppergate restrictions were sent to local York drivers.

On Lendal Bridge, the reverse was the case with 22% sent to York drivers and 78% to visitors.

The question was asked at last weeks Council meeting and Cllr Merrett’s answer was:

To the Cabinet Member for Transport, Planning and Sustainability from Cllr Runciman: “Could the Cabinet Member provide a breakdown of the ANPR penalty notices issued since the Lendal Bridge closure and Coppergate restrictions by residents living inside York and residents living outside York?”

• “Coppergate;

1852 individual postcodes recorded.

1280 ‘YO’ postcodes & 572 non-‘YO’ postcodes. This equates to a 70%-30% split

• Lendal Bridge:

6340 individual postcodes recorded.

1436 ‘YO’ postcodes & 4904 non-‘YO’ postcodes. This equated to a 22.5%- 77.5% split.”

York Council confirms income from Lendal Bridge and Coppergate fines

The Council has belatedly published the answers to question tabled last week about the fine income that they are generating through the use of ANPR ”invisible policemen” cameras in the City.

The Council is paying its Northampton based contractors £7 to process each Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).

The Council says

Lendal

02-08 Sept – 1675 PCNs issued (4 days enforcement, commenced Wed)

09-15 Sept – 2015 PCNs issued (6 days enforcement, because of the Skyride event)

16-22 Sept – 1766 PCNs issued (5 days enforcement, cameras updating)
TOTAL 5456

Accurate actual income into CYC is not available at this stage due to the short time the system has been operational. Based on £23 / PCN (the £30 ‘early payment’ value of the PCN minus the processing and operating costs), this would equate to a potential income of £125,500.

Coppergate

15-18 August -1085 PCNs issued (4 days enforcement, commenced Wednesday)

19-25 August – 1741 PCNs issued

26-01 Sept – 880 PCNs issued

02-08 Sept – 850 PCNs issued

09-15 Sept – 841 PCNs issued (6 days enforcement, because of the Skyride event)

16-22 Sept -324 PCNs issued (5 days enforcement, cameras updating and gas works commenced)

TOTAL 5721

Accurate actual income into CYC is not available at this stage due to the short time the system has been operational. Based on £23 / PCN (the £30 ‘early payment’ value of the PCN minus the processing and operating costs). This would equate to a potential income of £131,500.

Crime still reducing in York and North Yorkshire

Figures released by the Office of National Statistics for a 12 month period up until June 2013 showed crime had reduced by 6%.

They confirm that the North Yorkshire Police area is the safest place to live in England, with 42.43 recorded crimes per 1000 people.

white-collar-crime-1

More up-to-date figures show that during a 12 month period up to September 2013, crime in the North Yorkshire Police area has been reduced by 4% to a total of 34,368 crimes.

This equates to 1,598 fewer victims of crime in our communities.

The figures also highlight that certain types of crime are being effectively tackled and continue to fall, with the following positive results:

•Robbery has been reduced by 11% – with 15 fewer victims compared to the same period last year

•Burglary has been reduced by 5% – with 241 fewer victims

•Vehicle crime has been reduced by 16% – with 518 fewer victims

•Theft from a person has been reduced by 9% – with 49 fewer victims

•Cycle theft has been reduced by 4% – with 59 fewer victims

•Violence with injury has been reduced by 6% with 208 fewer victims

•Criminal damage has been reduced by 9% with 587 fewer victims

•Drug offences have been reduced by 8% – with 166 fewer crimes

•Possession of offensive weapons have been reduced by 24% – with 50 fewer crimes

Reports of sexual offences have increased by 16%, which officers believe is due to more victims having the confidence to come forward and tell the police, thanks to improved facilities such as North Yorkshire Police’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC).

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Rubbish skips this weekend Saturday 19th October

Although the Council has cut back on the number of amenity skips it provides, several residents associations continue to run programmes aimed at making it easier for tenants to get rid of unwanted items.

The skips are only in place for a few minutes and residents must ensure that they put any rubbish into the skips and do not leave it on the path or highway.

1 Dale St 08:30 09:30
2 Cambridge St 10:30 11:30 Suffolk House

Council apply for Rawcliffe car park entertainment license

The York Council wants to permit outdoor entertainments to be staged at the Rawcliffe Park and Ride site.

They are applying to extend the license that currently applies to the adjacent Rawcliffe Country Park.

Rawcliffe Park and Ride site

Rawcliffe Park and Ride site

The application is phrased to give the impression that the car park will be commandeered if the adjacent country park is unsuitable for outdoor events – for example as a result of flooding.

However the requested hours of operation cover the full week and in particular the times when the car park is heavily used for the park and ride service.

The entertainment license would apply between 09:00hours to 2200 hours except Fridays and Saturdays when the hours extend to 2300 hours.

No explanation for the circumstances in which the license would be used have been provided for a committee meeting which is taking place on Thursday 24th October.

The main problems are likely to arise if organisers start setting up during the hours that the car park is normally in heavy use.

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NB. A fireworks display and outdoor entertainment event is scheduled to take place at the Rawcliffe Country Park on Sunday 3rd November.

Called “Kaboom” it is advertised as the counties biggest fireworks display. Last year a similar event resulted in extensive damage to the Rawcliffe Country Park because of wet conditions.

Plans to hold the Galtres Festival at Rawcliffe earlier this year were abandoned in favour of a venue near Helmsley.

Unwrapping the Chocolate City – Discovering the Chocolate Makers 19th Oct 2013

This hands-on workshop takes a journey through York’s confectionery industry as it developed from a Medieval trading city to become the home of the world’s most famous chocolate bars.
Location: The Mansion House

Time: 11:00 – 13:00

Cost: £17.50 Adult, £12 Child

Learn how to make the products that made York the Chocolate City and join us for a journey through York’s confectionery industry as it developed from a Medieval trading city to become the home of the world’s most famous chocolate bars.
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