York Wheel back?

York Wheel


Council officials are recommending that planning permission be given to installing a 53 metre diameter observation wheel in front of the Royal York Hotel. It would be in place on a temporary basis until January 2013.
The Wheel was removed from its previous home at the Railway Museum because the operators claimed that low footfall – particularly during the winter months – made it uneconomic.
Plans to put the Wheel in locations at St Georges Field and then, later, to the rear of the Art Gallery came to nothing 12 months ago.
The site at the Royal York is sure to be controversial with fears from some Westgate flat residents that they will be “overlooked”.
However it is the impact on York’s historic walls and streetscape that will cause most concern.

Labours missing thousands

There has been some comment in the media over the last few days about York Labour Council candidates financial links to Labour.
Reproduced below are the amounts admitted by their candidates for election manifesto costs when they submitted their Council election expenses returns in May.
The UNISON invoice for a “donation in kind” (printing the Labour election manifesto) is also reproduced.
The question remaining to be answered is what happened to the rest of the donation if it wasn’t used by their candidates?
We’ll publish next week details of the “declarations of interest” made by Labour Councillors in June.

click image to enlarge



Unison invoice for Labour manifesto printing work

Foreign travel

I wonder whether our £3000 a week Council Chief Executive is spending her time profitably in Seoul (Korea) trying to negotiate York’s entry into a UNESCO “Creative City Network”.
It is not that I doubt the value of the supporting the media arts jobs sector in the City. Indeed, it is a natural growth area for York.
I question whether we should link into a woolly concept with no supporting business case, no clear idea of how involvement would tangibly benefit local business and absolutely no way of judging whether the investment of resources has been successful.
Many will point with concern at York’s’ last attempt to jump on a UNESCO bandwagon; the failed bid for World Heritage site status.
Now UNESCO itself is facing serious funding problems in the wake of the Palestine controversy.
Perhaps the City might look more locally for partners at the present time and avoid the temptation to oil the palms of international bureaucrats who offer little that would be of benefit to York’s hard-pressed taxpayers.

Park and Ride service changes for Christmas shoppers

First will be operating late night services on Park & Ride York this festive season. On Park and Ride, return tickets cost just £2.30 from Park & Ride sites and up to 2 children travel free with every fare paying passenger!

Late night Thursdays between 24th November & 22nd December buses will operate until around 2130.

Service 2 Green Line – Rawcliffe Bar
Last bus from Rawcliffe Bar – 2120
Last bus from City Centre – 2135

Service 3 White Line – Askham Bar
Last bus from Askham Bar – 2120
Last bus from City Centre – 2134

Service 7 Red Line – Designer Outlet
Last bus from Designer Outlet – 2120
Last bus from City Centre – 2134

Service 8 Yellow Line – Askham Bar
Last bus from Askham Bar – 2120
Last bus from City Centre – 2133

Service 9 Silver Line – Monks Cross
Last bus from Monks Cross (Shopping Centre) – 2059
Last bus from Monks Cross (Park and Ride site) – 2108
Last bus from City Centre – 2130

Plus! late night services throughout December on Red Line 7.
Buses operate until 2134 Monday-Friday and 2039 on Saturdays between 2nd and 23rd December. (Late night service does not operate on Sundays).

…and more chance to get to the sales!
On Red Line 76, the 2020 Thursday only departure from the City Centre will also operate on Wednesday 28th and Friday 30th December.

There is also a new timetable on Silver Line Service 9 from 20th November –

Parking report

Pay by phone use


The Council has published its annual report on car parking. The results show that, for the year ending in March 2011, the Council was close to budget on its parking account, which shows a turnover of around £6 million.
The number of penalty notices has reduced over the years.
The numbers paying car parking charges by phone continues to increase as does the number of residents buying passes and season tickets for small cars (where a 50% discount on charges applies).
Two areas of concern remain to be addressed.
Verge and footpath parking are a continuing problem. The Police are responsible for enforcement if an “obstruction” is being caused.
Indiscriminate parking at schools – such as on Grange Lane – is being addressed by the parking wardens (Civil Enforcement Officers). 88 patrols were carried out at 24 different schools during the last year. However problems persist.

Penalty tickets issued at car parks


damaged verge on Gale Lane

Police speed camera locations

North Yorkshire Police will be carrying out mobile safety camera enforcement on the following roads between Wednesday 16 November and Tuesday 22 November 2011.
• A64 westbound carriageway, Bowbridge Farm, Tadcaster
• Northfield Farm, Cobcroft Lane, Cridling Stubbs
• Skipwith Road, Escrick
• A63 Hemingbrough
• Church Lane, Wheldrake
• A63 Milford Hotel, Newthorpe
• A1246 Ledsham
• B1222 Stillingfleet Mine,Stillingfleet
• B1222 Stockbridge House, Cawood
• B1217 Saxton
• A19 Selby Road, Whitley
• Millfield Lane, Chappel Haddlesley
• Westcroft Lane, Hambleton
• A171 Jugger Howe opposite Springhill Farm
• B1460 Castle Road, Whitby
• A171 south of Scaling Dam
• A169 Whitby to Pickering Road near to Goathland
• A169 Whitby to Pickering Road at High Horcum
• A171 North of Whitby at Kempston Rigg
• A171 Mayfield Road, Whitby
• A1039, Filey Road at Flixton
• B1427 Queen Margarets Road, Scarborough
• B1249 at Staxton Wold near Staxton, Scarborough
• A165 Reighton by-pass between Sands Road and Hunmanby Road
• B1249 Foxholes to County Boundary
• A64 Malton by-pass, Malton east and westbound
• A64 Seamer by-pass, Scarborough
• A64 Seamer Road, Scarborough
• A64 between Whitwell Hill and Barton Hill
• A64 between Barton-le-Willows and Jinnah
• A64 between Barton Hill and Whitwell Hill

Askham Lane to be resurfaced

The carriageway in Askham Lane will be resurfaced next year at an estimated cost of £72,500. It is the only road in the Westfield Ward included on the provisional resurfacing programme for next year.
The footpaths in Acomb Wood Drive are on reserve list of work which may be completed if funds allow.
There is no funding allocated for continuation of the resurfacing programme in Chapelfields. It had been expected that the roads in the remainder of the estate would gradually be repaired following the start which was made in Chapelfields Road and Bramham Road.
No funding has been made available for resurfacing Vesper Drive and footpaths in the Huntsman’s Walk area also miss out.
In total the provisional budget announced for design purposes is £2.8 million. This compares to the £5.5 million approved by the former Liberal Democrat led Council for the current years budget.
The highways budget is usually increased before it is finalised in January.
Email us if you would like a copy of the complete programme which lists the work to be undertaken on 69 roads across the City.