The river Ouse burst its banks this week. It was followed by icy weather. Most people tried to make the best of it!
We’ve reported the footpath on the odd numbered side of Askham Lane. It is unsafe as a result of damage by tree roots.
Sustrans, who manage the York – Selby cycle path, are consulting on the work that they they hope to undertake on the trees and bushes which are adjacent to the path.
Already some work has started on removing invasive and self seeded trees the roots of which have damaged the adjacent cycle path.
The consultation takes a deeper look at the future of the green corridor.
Invasive Himalayan balsam would be removed while an effort would be made to introduce tansy into the grassland sward to support the tansy
beetle.
Near Bishopthorpe, some fruit trees may be planted.
We think that most cycle path users will welcome this initiative from Sustrans.
We only hope that repairs to the surface of the cycle path will start quickly now.
Too many sections of the route have been made hazardous by root damage.
No news yet on when the promised improvements, to the York Council maintained section of the cycle path between Tadcaster Road and the A64, will start. Improvements were promised as part of the plan to provide a new clubhouse and pitches for Bishopthorpe FC.
The clubhouses itself – although currently mired in mud – is making progress but no start date for the promised path upgrade has been given.
This section of track is also now subject to tree root damage.
We’ve reported the litter that has recently accumulated on Chesney’s Field (Foxwood Lane)
Also dumping next to the Cornlands Road park
Apparently Royal Mail have now said that the pillar box on Beagle Ridge Drive, which has been out of use for about 2 months, cannot be repaired. Previously they had said that it needed a new door.
The box is the most conveniently located in the Foxwood area and its loss in the busy run up to Christmas has been a disappointment to many people.
The Post Office have not said when a replacement box will be installed.
Meanwhile we have report fly tipping next the recycling banks on the Acomb Wood Drive shopping area car park.
More minor highways improvement schemes have been approved under the York Councils delegated ward budgets.
They are located in the Dringhouses, Fulford and Osbaldwick wards. A list can be viewed by clicking here
The process and method of prioritisation of the use of the £1 million available budget is obscure. No comprehensive list of the improvements approved and implemented in each part of the City has been published on the Councils web site. Requests for improvements to footpaths and roads in the Westfield area have produced little response.
Even in Fulford, where funds are being allocated, some may wonder whether an investment in replacing opaque panels in local bus shelters might have deserved some consideration? Instead two prominent shelters look shabby or are overgrown by vegetation.
It is a similar picture on the west of the City.
The delegation of funding decisions to local communities is a step in the right direction but currently allocation processes look to be a combination of patrimony and chance.
It appears that the Council has reverted to a reactive litter control policy. This involves two person teams clearing litter when it is reported.
The alternative, which operated for many years in the City, involved an individual worker taking responsibility for keeping specific estates tidy.
This system was reintroduced during the first lockdown with a marked improvement in cleanliness standards.
With fewer people on the streets, litter should be less of a problem at present but in the longer term a system which encourages pride in the City is the best option.
To report a litter problem please use the 24/7 “on line” service (click)
Standards seem to be slipping in the social housing sector in York with one JRHT tenant seeking crowd funding to repair damage caused by a leaking pipe.
The incident occurred on the Trusts flagship Derwenthorpe estate where the district heating system has proved to be problematic.
One local source says that the absence of isolating valves at some individual properties means that flooding problems have occurred which might have been avoided.
The incident perhaps points up a potential negative side for those in the forefront of adopting new technologies.
The York Council regards itself as an innovator and is spending huge sums on building “green” homes. While some features (insulation, solar power) are well established and beneficial, others have not been tested for long term durability in varying climatic conditions.
The rather wobbly logic behind the programme might in part be traced to a lack of professional leadership. The Council has not had anyone in charge of its housing operations since the beginning of the year.
A recent appointee to the post gave backword and it remains unclear where responsibility now lies for the day to day management of York’s 8000 strong council housing portfolio.
There are are growing problems in some estates.
In the Foxwood area, seven homes are currently empty. One bungalow was vacated by an older person when they went into a care home 3 years ago. The property has still not been relet even on a temporary basis.
Another bungalow has been undergoing repairs since it was vacated 9 months ago.
It also appears that the mistake made last year, of introducing a reactive cleansing service, has reappeared.
During the last lockdown the older “barrowman” approach was reintroduced . Cleaners were responsible for tidying a specific geographical area. There were notable improvements in cleanliness standards.
That system has now apparently been scrapped, with cleaners now only reacting to reports of issues.
Some estate manager posts are unfilled and the Council has failed to update its register of garages which are available to rent.
All in all, an area of concern.
Local Councillors are claiming credit for a programme which has seen some of the pieces of play equipment in the Foxwood Lane playground painted. Some new “busy bee” rides have also been installed.
This is welcome news.
However there is still work needed on the surface of the park.
The entrance to the kiddies area is subject to ponding and is virtually inaccessible after rain. All that is needed is some hard core putting down.
Nearby the safety surface under one of the swings, aimed at older children, is badly worn and is also subject to flooding.
We hope that both of these issues can be remedied quickly
Work on resurfacing part of Cornlands Road was delayed yesterday because of weather conditions. More rain is forecast for tomorrow (Thursday)
The resurfacing contractors are expected to move on to Gale Lane next week
It is disappointing to see that repairs to the verge at the junction of Kingsway West and Newbury Avenue have not been completed. The damage was caused by large delivery lorries trying to access the (now completed) bungalow building site. We expected the reinstatement to be completed before the bungalows were occupied.
Elsewhere, electrical cable works on Dijon Avenue are taking a long time to complete. This means more nuisance and inconvenience for residents living in the area who also have to put up with the mud generated by vehicles accessing the Lowfield development site.
Work on two house building sites in the Westfield area is continuing despite the problems with COVID and, more recently, wet weather.
On Gale Lane the much delayed redevelopment of a site opposite the end of Cornlands Road is now underway. The site had been the subject of several different planning applications over the years.
Elsewhere a further infill development is underway on Green Lane
The Green Lane site is close to the location of the bungalows which are due to be built on the Lowfields Site
