The Ugly Duckling By Le Petit Artiste Theatre

Follow the Ugly Duckling’s unforgettable trip down the river, with masks, puppets and live music.
DATE: Thu 4, Fri 5 and Tue 9 Apr
TIME: 2.30pm to 3.15pm (Thu and Fri) and 11am to 11.45am (Tue)
VENUE: Explore York (Thu and Fri) and Explore Acomb (Tue)
Cost: Free
Come and enjoy Le Petit Artiste’s unique retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s tale The Ugly Duckling and follow the duckling’s unforgettable trip down the river, with masks, puppets and live music. For age 4 and over.

Free tickets are available from Explore York Library (01904) 552828 or email exploreyork@york.gov.uk

Greener buses for York? – “Don’t know” answer by responsible York Councillor adds to confusion

Cllr Dave Merrett was unable to say whether a bid to the Green Bus Fund had been lodged by York before last Tuesday’s deadline.

Answering a question at last nights Council meeting the Cabinet member for Transport was reminded that he had promised at a meeting held on 10th December that the City would seek a share of the governments £12 million green bus fund.

Para 7 of the minutes of a bus partnership meeting said,

“CYC have commissioned ARUP to undertake a Green Bus Study with two objectives:
• To outline timescales for and a route to deliver zero emission buses in York
• To deliver a successful Green Bus Fund bid for York, with a submission date of 26th March 2013”.

Cllr Merrett appeared unsure whether the bid had actually been sent in and tried to imply that the responsibility rested with First buses.

He was also unable to say how much the ARUP consultancy work had cost taxpayers.

The original Council question had asked what consultation with residents had taken place on the content of the bid.

It now appears that the responsible Cabinet member himself had been kept in the dark about the progress being made. Either that or he wasn’t letting on about his complicity in the shambles.

Obviously a highly unsatisfactory state of affairs.

In a separate debate, Cllr Merrett continued to claim that sales of ”All York” bus tickets could not be publicised “for reasons of commercial sensitivity” ….. and this despite the public minutes of the 10th December meeting claimed that there had been 10000 sales in the first quarter!

Later Council Leader Alexander “tweeted” York Central Liberal Democrats to claim that the sales figures weren’t “secret”.

So we’ll wait and see whether the Council now publishes any information.

York is affirming its position as one of the safest cycling cities in the UK with plans to introduce a major new cycle route in the north of the city.

Proposed cycle path. Click to enlarge

Supported by North Yorkshire Police and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the scheme proposes to introduce a safe off-road shared cycle and pedestrian route along the A1237 outer ring road, between the Haxby Road roundabout and the B1363 Wigginton Road roundabout, connecting over 15,000 people living in this area of York.

The proposed measures also include new crossing links with Haxby Road on both sides of the roundabout, a new bridge over the York to Scarborough railway line with approach ramps on the existing embankments and an additional crossing point on Wigginton Road to safely connect with Clifton Moor.

The provision of an off-road route/safe link opens up access (sustainably, via cycling and/or walking) between Haxby, Strensall, Huntington, Earswick, New Earswick and to the retail, leisure and employment destination of Clifton Moor as well as students attending Joseph Rowntree School.

The new cycle route has been made possible by £4.6 million of government funding.

Residents can find out more about the proposed new cycle route by visiting www.york.gov.uk/haxbytocliftonmoor to view the proposals and to complete a short survey regarding the scheme. The council is particularly keen to obtain the views of any potential users of the route. All responses should be returned by Friday 17 May.

Background information can be found by clicking here

Alternatively, residents can attend the following Ward Committee meetings at:
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The Council confirmed 2 weeks ago that there will be no supplementary charge for emptying the first green bin at each home.

However, at tonights (Thursdays) Council meeting Labour rejected calls from LibDem and Tory Councillors to abolish the proposed £35 a year charge for second and subsequent additional green bins.

The reduced hours of operation at the Towthorpe recycling centre were also confirmed.

Garden waste collection may be scrapped

Liberal Democrats Councillors will make a final bid to have the changes overturned when the Councils Cabinet meets on Tuesday of next week.

A petition containing around 2000 signatures opposing Labours plans has been collected by the LibDems.

Meanwhile, Monday 1 April will see the council resume the schedule of fortnightly garden waste collections.

When residents check their waste collections calendars next week they will probably be surprised to find that it runs out at the end of March and no updated one has been delivered.

Residents can find their collection day by clicking here and are advised to refer to their calendar to find out what the arrangements are over the Spring months.

For more information about garden waste collections over the Spring period click here

Residents who would like a paper copy of the collection calendar are asked to contact 01904 551551or email ycc@york.gov.uk

A copy of the new timetables for the much changed 24 service and which will operate from 15th April can be accessed by clicking here

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

The number 26/27 services are also changing on the same date click here

NB Transdev services over Easter will run as follows:
• Friday 29th March (Good Friday) | Saturday service
• Saturday 30th March | Saturday service
• Sunday 31st March (Easter Sunday) | Sunday service
• Monday 1st April (Easter Monday) | Sunday service

The Government has now put comparative road safety stats on line. Click here.

The results show that the City had 27.8 casualties per 1000 population (pk) by 2011 – down from 39.8 pk in 2005.

Ironically the City which has gone furthest in introducing wide area 20 mph speed limits (Portsmouth), was still recording 39.8 casualties in 2011.

Proliferation of unnecessary speed limit signs is annoying drivers

The most dangerous place to travel in the Yorkshire area was Doncaster (46.02 pk).

The number of collisions (per 100 million vehicle miles) in York was 85.9. The comparative figures for North Yorkshire were 54.83 and Leeds 86.13.

York was spending £5.57 per 1000 residents in repairing roads by 2011. This compared to £7.13 being spent in the North Yorkshire area (which has a much larger length of roads).

Capital spend on road safety was £2587 per 1000 population. This compared to only £30.18 being spent in North Yorkshire. (capital expediture varies substantially from year to year)

Since 2011, of course, the York Council has cut its road maintenance budget by 1/3 while large amounts are being diverted into introducing a 20 mph speed limit.

At the budget Council meeting in February the Council announced further cuts including a £75,000 reduction in expenditure on road safety. The cut takes effect in 2014.

Pothole on Foxwood Lane (now fixed following a report via “Fix my Street” see below)

Residents will be looking anxiously at the 2012 figures when they are published on the government web site for any sign that the reduction in accidents, achieved in the previous few years, has stalled.

Meanwhile the number of potholes on roads in the City continues to grow. The AA have recently published an independent survey of road conditions which reveals that Yorkshire has the worst road surfaces in the country.

The Council are obliged to repair unsafe roads. Defect reports can be made by clicking on one of the following web links.

My Council

Fix my Street

“The York Minster Stoneyard is one of the largest in the country, and a centre of excellence for many traditional crafts including masonry, carving and carpentry.

A rare opportunity has arisen to train as apprentice on a four-year contract, reviewed annually, working with and learning from some of the most skilled craftsmen in the country.

The Apprenticeship includes a programme of part-time study at York College.

We are looking for a reliable, enthusiastic individual with a passion for developing masonry skills and the ability to contribute to the work of one of the great cathedrals of the world.

Click here for further details

Closing date for applications is Tuesday 30 April and interviews are scheduled for week commencing 13 May”.

Over the Easter period the following arrangements will apply:

Good Friday, 29th March
Park & Ride services 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9 – Normal Friday service
Main network services 1, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 13 & 14 – Sunday service
Main network services 11, 15 & 16 – No service

Easter Saturday, 30th March
Normal Saturday service

Easter Sunday, 31st March
Normal Sunday service

Easter Monday, 1st April
Park & Ride services 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9 – Normal Monday service
Main network services 1, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 13 & 14 – Sunday service
Main network services 11, 15 & 16 – No service

Tuesday 2nd April
Normal service resumes

It looks like the popular Toy Bus service – at which parents can borrow a variety of toys for use by their children – may end sooner than was planned.

An ambiguous notice has been placed on the Toy Bus web site (click here)

Labour had originally planned to axe the service in 2014 but now it seems that the bus may be scrapped much earlier.

The service could stop as soon as the end of this week.

46 residents have signed a “Save the Toy Bus” petition on the Council’s web site. It runs until 5th April. Click here to access it

Now Liberal Democrat Councillors will call on Labour to reverse plans to scrap the Toy Library Bus at tomorrow’s (28th March) Full Council meeting.

It was originally thought that the cut, which was forced through by Labour at last month’s Budget Council, would see the toy-lending service end in 2014/15; however, subsequently – still secret – plans have apparently been put in place to stop the service at the end of this week.

It is unclear who has taken this decision which has not appeared on the Council’s Forward Plan.
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