We’ve reported several instances where fallen leaves could resent a safety issue.
Wear and tear takes its toll of street furniture and access gates. Maintenance work is needed at several locations.
Problem with leaves on Askham Grove steps reported
Some streets missed again from weed control programme
With winter settling in, and leaves filling gutters and paths, we’ve had a look back at some roads that were subject to complaints about weed growth earlier in the summer.
Sadly in some cases the weeds are still there. The Council will need to use mechanical means to remove the remaining growth.
The weed and grass growth is mainly in drainage gullies but some paths are still obstructed.
Balfour Street tree felled
The tree that was damaging railings and the footpath on Balfour Street has finally been felled. The Council have also removed accumulated leaf fall. The path is now much safer.
The opened up area to the rear has revealed locations where at least two additional trees could be planted.
The work followed complaints to executive Councillors. The self seeded tree had been reported 2 years ago. It caused considerable damage to the railings and footpath in the interim. It is likely to be some time before the tree stump rots away and allows permanent remedial work to be undertaken on the railings and footpath.
Public services improving in York this week
The York Council has had a good week in providing public services. 100% refuse collection success today with the only significant missed collections, earlier in the week, down to “blocked accesses”. Their web page detailing service standards achieved can be accessed by clicking here
Elsewhere the fallen leaves that we reported on Bellhouse Way have been cleared from the paths
Council making progress in dealing with issues in Foxwood
Winter bring its usual problems.
Residents urged to check local salt bins
As we wait for the inevitable icy weather residents are being urged to check that their local salt bins are full and free of litter.
Salt bin locations are plotted on the Street View services map Click here to access. Look under “street care” then “salt bins funded by CYC”. Councillors should have completed their pre-winter checks by now, but some may have been missed.
Another recurrent problem that will arise, as wetter weather becomes more frequent, is damage to grass verges. This is sometimes caused by poor parking but also is prevalent on street corners where large vehicles leave the carriageway.
Some wards make use of a delegated budget to provide off street “eco grid” style parking lay-bys.
Others use the option of hardening vulnerable areas like road junctions. Again matrix surfacing conserves green space and good drainage while protecting verges from damage.
Stile collapses
We’d reported on several occasions that the stile access from Foxwood Lane onto Acomb Moor was unstable. It has now collapsed (wood rot).
Hopefully the field owners and local Councillors will get it fixed. There si no grazing on the moor at present so security is not compromised.
A decision on the Public Right of Way route, which uses the stile, will be made by the York Council in February.
Graffiti backlog needs clearing quickly
The Council agreed a new policy yesterday which should see graffiti cleaned up more quickly in future. Subject to the owners consent, the Council will now clean domestic boundary walls.
There is a growing backlog of work to be tackled across the City.
New graffiti policy can’t come soon enough
The York Council is set to adopt a new policy on graffiti removal today. It can’t come soon enough with several neighbourhoods reporting an increase in incidents.
We hope that the meeting will decide to make renewed efforts to identify those responsible. As it stands taxpayers could face a bill of £90,000 a year to remove spray point from buildings, boundaries and street furniture.
Nor has the Council been particularly prompt in meeting existing graffiti removal targets. A couple of cases in Foxwood have exceeded the 5 day removal target.
Graffiti incidents can be reported “on line” by clicking this link
Issues in Albemarle Road area need tackling
Earlier in the week some parked cars on Albemarle Road were broken into. It seems that handbrakes were also released and vehicles allowed to crash into a wall.
Parking and traffic issues on the road are not new. Some at least arises out of he lack of parking controls (it is not yet a ResPark area). Today a delivery wagon had to reverse for nearly 1/4 mile to avoid on coming traffic. A dangerous manoeuvre. With some of the parking down to commuters, the introduction of ResPark – coupled to the provision of additional “passing places” – would seem to be in everyone’s interests.
