Wetherby Road roundabout improvements – public consultation results published

The Council has revealed that 170 responses were received to its consultation on the design of the new Wetherby Road/A1237 roundabout.

In a report to a meeting taking place next week, officials claim that “as far as possible” the final design takes into account public views.

Officials highlight the following specific changes

  1. Proposed widening of the footway on the southern side of the
    B1224 to provide shared pedestrian/cycle route standard to
    enable users to cross at surface level to the B1224 heading
    west (see para 13 above)
  2. Proposed maintenance lay-by incorporated into the roundabout
    island
  3. Increase in provision of landscaping around the junction and
    on the roundabout island

The main issues raised by residents were:

  • The roundabout should include designated pedestrian / cyclist
    facilities
  • Spending money on this roundabout, and all the other roundabouts, is deemed “a waste of money”
  • Additional signing / road markings are required to ensure that
    vehicles merge in turn as part of the upgraded roundabout
    proposals
  •  The A1237 should be dualled
  •  The scheme is a good idea

A full list of the views expressed can be viewed by clicking here

The improvement is expected to cost £3.6 million

If approved, work on the roundabout is expected to start in June.

Separately from the roundabout scheme, work is progressing on providing an off road cycle/pedestrian link from Rufforth to Acomb

Idyllic scenes on the Ouse BUT…

Cyclists will be hoping that the York Council’s announcement that £500,000 will be spent upgrading major cycle routs in the City will allow for work to be undertaken on the York – Selby path. In places, the popular leisure route has become very uneven following the ravages of winter.

River Ouse at Naburn today. Well within its banks

Snow melt has caused large ponds to form on low woodland

The cycle track is still scarred by graffiti and dumping. The Council no longer clears graffiti unless it is judged to be obscene.

Big increase in potholes as ice takes its toll

Some of the worst potholes have appeared on the Castle car park,. They are a hazard for pedestrians and could damage vehicles. The Council needs to take swift action to fill them in.

Councillors have been out and about reporting highway defects like this one on Askham Lane. Cllr Sheena Jackson has reported potholes on Walker Drive

Sheena has also been engaged with Talk Talks broadband installation programme. There has been more surface damage to roads and footpaths than was expected in some areas.

York praised for pothole filling by independent cycling group

The York Council is the best in Yorkshire when it comes to filling in potholes. It came 19th in a survey of cyclists who rated the performance of 214 local authorities nationwide.

Not only was York in the top 20, but the Council had responded to the largest number of reports (1362) in the area.

It has filled in 89% of the reported potholes

“The Fill that Hole” website – run by Cycling UK – says that “the table ranks highway authorities according to hazards reported through FillThatHole.org.uk, and shows which authorities are best at fixing their road defects and reporting back to us.

We encourage highway authorities and hazard reporters to let us know when a road defect has been fixed. They can do this by replying to the emails we send them, using the contact form, or registering for an account and requesting to be associated with their authority”.

Hazards can be reported “on line” by clicking this link

Best rated with 100% filled in was Islington in London. Worst was Blaenau Gwent which apparently hasn’t managed to fill in any of the 20 potholes reported in their area.

North Yorkshire was ranked at 82 having added 24% of reports. Leeds at 178 had managed to fill in only 12% of potholes.

When the current icy conditions are over, it is likely that several more potholes will open up.

Hopefully residents, local Councillors and MPs will report any problems promptly.

A map of current hazards can be viewed by clicking here

Map of current pothole hazards in York

 

Plea for more investment in road and footpath maintenance

Acomb Wood Drive

With the frosty weather apparently still not behind us, highway engineers will be casting worried glances at vulnerable carriageway surfaces.

Some are already showing signs of cracking. These include Acomb Wood Drive which is on a bus route.

Further along the same bus route the surface of part of Ryecroft Avenue is beginning to disintegrate.

Ryecroft Avenue

It appears that the Council have also halted this years footpath resurfacing programme.

They should have completed work in the Foxwood area by now. There are rumours of budget overspends (not born out by reports to Council monitoring committees) but regrettably officials have yet to confirm a revised resurfacing timetable.

Hopefully tomorrows Council budget decisions will concentrate n providing adequate funding to sustain basic street level  services like these.