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New games area – Council delay response

We asked 4 weeks ago what had happened to the promised replacement for the children’s games area on Kingsway West.

The area is currently being used as a building compound. The contractor was beginning tt remove storage containers from the area today although work on Lincoln Court and the new centre for the disabled won’t be completed for a few weeks at least (it is running behind schedule with COVID partly to blame according to the Council).

A response to a Freedom of Information request was due today but the Council now says that they can’t reply before 3rd Ocotober.

The enquiry resulted from a promise made on 18th March 2019 when the Council’s Executive agreed to provide a replacement for the Kingsway West Multi User Games Area (MUGA) which has been taken out of use as part of the project to extend Lincoln Court.

The minute read;
“a ii) To note that in approving Option 1 a commitment is made for alternative recreational facilities following community consultation including Sport England within Westfield Ward in mitigation for the loss of the Multi Use Games Area. The alternative facilities provided are to be agreed by Executive and will be subject to a further report and budget approval.”

18 months later and there has been no further word from the Council on how the replacement plan is going.

The contractor has started to remove storage containers from the building compound. Most external work on the new and refurbished buildings has been completed. The wire fence around the games area has been realigned.

Coronavirus York updates; 18th September 2020

Deaths and test results

An additional SEVENTEEN positive test results were announced today bringing the total number of cases to 1102.

Around 11 new cases are being found each day. That compares to the highest, 7 day moving average, number of new cases in the first wave in May which was 29.

The worst affected neighbourhoods are currently Tang Hall, Haxby and the City Centre. A map showing the distribution of cases can be found by clicking here

There have been no more hospital deaths. The last Coronavirus related death in the City occurred in July.

Latest commentary from York Council on pandemic trends

Diagnosed cases (Pillar 1&2 combined)

• As at 17.9.20 York has had 1,085 cases, a rate of 515.2 per 100,000 of population. The rate in York is lower than national (584.9) and regional (757) averages.

• The PHE ‘Exceedance’ rating compares the no. of new cases over a 14 day period with the previous 6 weeks and provides a RAG rating to indicate if the previously observed trend in the no. of new cases is worsening. The latest rating for York (14.9.20) is Red. The rating was triggered by a higher than ‘expected’ number of cases per 100 tests five times in the last 14 days. We know that in recent weeks the number of cases have been low in York which has an effect on the thresholds used to determine the RAG rating – a small change can mean the difference between a red, amber and green rating. The exceedance rating should not be considered in isolation but in context alongside other factors such as the recent total number of cases, COVID related deaths, outbreaks as well as changes in the local testing regime and local hotspot analysis.

• The latest weekly National Covid-19 Surveillance Report released on 11.9.20 and covering the week up to 6.9.20, showed that the 7 day rate of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population tested under Pillar 1 and 2 was 12.86 for York. York was ranked 47th out of 149 local authorities (with 1 being the lowest rate).

• The latest validated 7 day rate of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population for York is 30. This is for the 7 day period up to 11.9.20. This excludes cases with a sample date in the last few days due to partial data and lags in reporting. The rate in York is increasing but remains lower than national (34.1) and regional (49.1) averages.

• As at 14.9.20, the latest 7 day positivity rate in York (Pillar 2 only) was 3.15% (66 positives out of 2,097 tests). The national and regional averages are 2.1% and 3.2% respectively.

• As at 15.9.20 the latest 14 day positivity rates in York were 0.4% for Pillar 1; 4.5% for Pillar 2 and 3.1% overall. The national averages were 1.2%, 3.9% and 3.1% respectively.

Deaths

The two sources about deaths from Covid-19 at LA level are ONS data and local registrar data. They are derived from the same source (civil registration data). ONS data is more comprehensive as it includes deaths of York residents which have occurred and been registered outside York. Local registrar data is useful as it provides a breakdown by age and gender. The most recently available data is summarised below:

• ONS weekly data: For deaths occurring up to 4th September 2020 and registered up to 12th September 2020, 171 deaths were recorded as having occurred for CYC residents (83 in hospital, 76 in care homes, 9 at home and 3 in a hospice. The number of deaths per 100,000 of population in York is 81.19 which is lower than the national average of 88.43. The most recent death reported for a York resident was in week 31 (25 to 31 July).

• ‘Excess’ deaths (ONS). In week 36 (29 August to 4 Sept), 40 deaths occurred in York, which is 9 more than the average weekly number for 2014-18. Over the last 15 weeks the total number of deaths in York has been 36 fewer than the average for the equivalent weeks in 2014-18.

• Local Registrar data: In the weekly data received on 14.9.20 (for deaths occurring up to 9.9.20), a cumulative total of 162 deaths of CYC residents where COVID-19 was mentioned (confirmed or suspected) on the death certificate, have been registered. The average age of the people who died was 82.47, with an age range of 53-104. The age profile of those dying in York is slightly older than the national average. 86 of the 162 were male (53.1%), slightly less than the national average (55%). 81 of the deaths occurred in hospital and 81 were community deaths (e.g. at home or in a care home or hospice). 70 people (43.2%) died in nursing /care homes (the national average is 29.53%). In addition 13 people (8%) who normally resided in nursing/care homes in the CYC area, died in hospital.

Data on deaths occurring in hospital are shown below. Deaths are initially reported for York NHS Foundation Trust which includes Scarborough Hospital and the further breakdown by site can be delayed. From local registrar data, 58.5% of COVID-19 deaths occurring at York Hospital have been CYC residents. (NB NHS Trusts record deaths following a positive covid-19 test whereas ONS record deaths where covid-19 in mentioned on the death certificate so the totals are not the same).

• Deaths at York Hospital: As at 17.9.20, 134 deaths of people who had tested positive for COVID-19 and were being cared for at York Hospital have been reported. 214 deaths have been reported by the wider York NHS Trust

Disabled and less mobile residents invited to online workshop about city centre accessibility

City of York Council is inviting disabled and less mobile people across York to an online workshop on 23 September.

The council want residents to let them know how city centre changes made in response to coronavirus have affected accessibility.

Emergency measures were agreed by the council executive back in June 2020 to expand a number of city centre ‘footstreets’ to allow more space for social distancing and give business the opportunity to take advantage of pavement trading. 

These steps were taken to  support the council’s Economic Recovery – Transport and Place One Year Strategy, agreed upon by the Executive on 24 June 2020. The strategy aims to reassure and demonstrate to residents, visitors  and stakeholders that York is a safe, healthy and attractive place for everyone.

As a result of these changes, blue badge parking was relocated to a variety of locations around the edges of the city centre. In addition, a free taxi service has been available between Monk Bar car park and St Andrewgate to improve access to the city.

In light of these fast-paced changes, the council want to hear from all disabled and less mobile people in York, whether they use a blue badge or not, and any other residents who feel the footstreets extension has affected their ability to access the city centre.

You can join the conversation in a number of ways:

The council is trying to contact every disabled group in the city. If you are part of a group or network that would like to discuss the changes, please contact us on OurBigConversation@york.gov.uk

Rules – Testing and mitigating the transmission of Covid-19

You may be aware that the national Covid-19 testing programme is under pressure, with high demand impacting capacity.

It is important to get tested if you develop the main symptoms of Covid-19, which are a high temperature, a new and repetitive dry cough, or a change in sense of taste or smell. These are currently the main symptoms that would trigger the need for a test.

If you are otherwise unwell with different symptoms, you do not currently need to get a Covid-19 test. Getting a test when you do not have Covid-19 related symptoms will reduce the capacity of the system to test those who do have symptoms.

To access a test, you can either use the online testing booking portal: https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test, or by calling 119.

Testing is one element of an infection prevention and control process. Whilst testing can be provide a reassurance and enable the contact tracing process to begin where this might be delayed, there are many other steps that can still be taken which are effective: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-infection-prevention-and-control/updates-to-the-infection-prevention-and-control-guidance-for-covid-19

The most effective action we can all take if we experience symptoms is to self-isolate and request a test. There may currently be delays or reduced access to testing appointments, if you experience difficulties accessing a test, please keep trying.

Self-isolating as a household when one household member has symptoms is necessary. Please familiarise yourself with the online guidance on self-isolation: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance, and on what the definition of a close contact is, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-contacts-of-people-with-possible-or-confirmed-coronavirus-covid-19-infection-who-do-not-live-with-the-person/guidance-for-contacts-of-people-with-possible-or-confirmed-coronavirus-covid-19-infection-who-do-not-live-with-the-person

If you have any of the Covid-19 symptoms, you must self-isolate straight away for 10 days – or longer if you still have symptoms. If you live in the same household as someone with coronavirus symptoms, you must self-isolate straight away for 14 days. This is because of the incubation period for the virus and the amount of time in which you are at risk of infecting others if you do have the virus.

York Council reacts to increase in cases – Let’s keep safe

As numbers of confirmed Coronavirus cases increase locally and nationally, City of York Council is encouraging residents and businesses to continue their work in keeping each other safe.

Since the pandemic began, businesses and residents have gone to great efforts to protect each other.   Data from Google mobility showed that York residents stayed home more than anywhere else in the region during lockdown, whilst businesses across the city have adapted to delivering their services differently to keep people safe.

However, in line with the national trend, cases are increasing in the city.  Therefore, it is vital that people stay vigilant and practice good public health measures and remember: Hands. Face. Space.

Following an increase in cases across the country, Monday saw the introduction of the rule of six, meaning you must not meet in a group of more than 6, indoors or outdoors. Meeting in groups of more than six is now against the law and the police have the powers to enforce these legal limits, including to issue fines (fixed penalty notices) of £100, doubling for further breaches up to a maximum of £3,200.   

The rule of six means you can only meet with people outside of your household group in a group of no more than 6 people.  This applies whether you are meeting in your home, outside in the park or at a venue like a restaurant. 

Please remember that the principles remain, to stop the spread of the virus we all need to all remember:

  • Hands – Wash your hands regularly and for 20 seconds or more each time
  • Face – Wear a face covering in public spaces it isn’t easy to social distance in (plus be considerate of those who are exempt and share pictures of you wearing them on social media as part of the #WeveGotItCovered campaign!)
  • Space – Keep our distance – 2m is best
  • Test – Stay at home if you have symptoms and ask for a test.

The council is aware that due to testing capacity challenges nationally, some people here are struggling to access a test. For now, people with symptoms (a dry continuous cough, a high temperature or a loss of or change in sense of taste and smell) are asked to self-isolate at home until they are able to get a test.  The Council continues to press the Government for more testing capacity locally, following letters to the Secretary of State.

Last night saw the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum outline work putting in place additional measures and declaring a major incident to slow the spread in some parts of the County following increasing cases in North Yorkshire. In York, we are asking residents and businesses to be vigilant and remember hands, face, space to keep you and your communities safe.

York Council, still facing £20.4 million budget deficit.

Footfall in City centre up

The York Council says that it still faces a £20.4 million budget shortfall as a result of the COVID crisis.

The figures will be presented to a meeting next week They vary little from what has previously been published with the bulk of the shortfall (£16 million) being in anticipated reductions in Council Tax and Business Rate income following a rise in unemployment levels. .  

The biggest hit is expected during the next financial year when the Councils reserves will hit a low point.

There is still little evidence that the council is controlling its expenditure levels. There has been no freeze on new expenditure commitments.

One encouraging trend is in visitor numbers in the City centre.  

Marygate car park full

Officials say that use is now at 80% of car park capacity.

Footfall is at 70% of normal levels. This is higher than in other cities (50%) and bears out our own observations.

Use of public transport is still much reduced.

Despite the obvious increasing demand for car parking there is no mention in the report about the controversial decision to take 40 spaces at Marygate out of use.

Nor is there any acknowledgement that the number of spaces allocated for disabled use at Monk Bar is excessive. Most there are never used.

These spaces could be generating additional income for the Council and, of course, their occupants would be likely to be spending in local shops, restaurants and visitor attractions.

The income loss to the Council from the 70 unused spaces is estimated to be £5000 a week.

The Council says that changed highways layouts have “largely been well received”. They base this claim on the responses to a survey question (“big conversation”) where 62% said that they agreed with the extension of the “foot-streets”.

This may be so, but the council failed to include questions in its survey about individual actions like the reduction in car parking provision. Without such feedback, it is impossible to judge which of the changes enjoys popular support.

There is no acknowledgement that faulty car park ticket machines and unreliable advanced space availability signs remain an issue.

The Council is promising to consult with disabled residents about their transport needs. It will spend £25,000 doing so.

As usual the suburban and secondary shopping areas are ignored by officials.

Front Street needs more shoppers

There is clearly an economic opportunity for areas like Acomb if they can attract those who feel let down by some of the travel restrictions.

Opening Front Street to blue badge holders, on one or two days a week, would cost little but could stimulate footfall in what is another another beleaguered trading area.

Coronavirus York updates; 19th August 2020

Deaths and test results

The results table has been updated to show the actual date of positive tests in York plus three more positive test results. . This is now available of the government web site click

Case number trends in York

Monk Bar car park shuttle service news

Empty spaces at Monk Bar car park

A Council official has agreed to extend the free taxi service for disabled users which links Monk Bar car park to the City centre. The little used service had been due to end but has now been extended to 6th September.

A behind closed doors meeting held yesterday heard that “the usage thus far has been low but is slowly increasing and it allows that to be monitored, mindful that those shielding have greater freedoms from the 1st of August”.

The opportunity to reduce the number of parking spaces allocated for the service was not taken, so they are likely to remain unused for the remainder of the busy summer period.

Shops busy

The Designer Centre has been busy this week. Typical 15 minutes wait for access. Good news for the local economy.

Bid for DfT funding to support cycling and walking

The Council apparently wants to add a cycling/pedestrian bridge to the A1237 viaduct near Poppleton. A similar facility at Scarborough railway bridge cost over £4.4 million. While improvements at this location would be welcome, it is unclear how a bridge could be funded and what the implications might be for future carriageway dualling plans.

City of York Council has submitted a bid to the Government for £850,000 of funding (against an indicative allocation of £693,000).

This is part of an overall £1.45m programme, to maintain the growth in walking and cycling seen across the city during lockdown.

The Government’s Emergency Active Travel Fund is designed to support walking and cycling as a long-term method for commuting, as the country emerges from the pandemic and to address the current capacity constraints on Public Transport. To receive any allocation from the fund, the council has to demonstrate ‘swift and meaningful plans’ to support cyclists and pedestrians in York.

This application is for the second of two phases, with the first seeing the council being awarded £193,000 in June (this was £20,000 more than the indicative allocation).

The funding for the second phase is conditional on demonstrating how the council is able to adapt the city’s infrastructure to support more active travel, and how quickly these additional measures can be delivered.

City of York Council has submitted a programme of actions to support walking and cycling at key locations as alternatives to travel by bus or car. 

Subject to a successful award of funding, the second phase aims to deliver the following schemes:

It would cost around £360,000 to construct a 6 mile off road cycle track from Wheldrake to Fulford. This would include foundations aimed at stopping the kind of tree root damage which has made parts of the nearby York – Selby cycle track unusable.
  • Measures focused on providing cycling and walking links between Wheldrake and Heslington. This scheme provides an off-road cycle route to Wheldrake, which will benefit commuters between the village and York city centre, including schoolchildren travelling to school in Fulford.
  • Further improvements on the A19 Shipton Road, a 3.2km radial route with cycle lanes currently being designed for delivery in phase 1. The additional funding will allow some of the existing pedestrian refuges on the road (which constrain the width of the proposed cycle lanes)) to be replaced with signalised crossings and improvements to the main junctions on the road.Improvements to A1237 outer ring road bridge – permanent provision of a cycle lane and improved footways over a 1km viaduct where provision is currently poor – linking suburbs on the northern and southern sides of the River Ouse and East Coast Main Line, including Manor School on the southern side and Clifton Moor Retail Park on the northern.
  • Measures in the city centre to improve access into and around the city centre to serve the footstreets area and ensure that the heart of the city is as accessible as possible for pedestrians, cyclists and disabled residents. This scheme would include a range of measures such as improved signage, improvements to disabled crossing facilities, and a new crossing near Castle Mills Bridge catering for cyclists and pedestrians using the existing riverbank path, but wishing to travel across the Inner Ring Road into the south east of the city centre, an area being regenerated.
  • Acomb Road/ York Road Acomb cycle scheme – a scheme to improve conditions for cyclists on Acomb Road to the west of York, including many children travelling to local schools, but where there is currently very little provision.
  • School Zone Pilot – After a successful trial of a ‘people street’ concept at Carr Junior School in association with Sustrans last year, further changes would be planned to Ostman Road in Acomb for a pilot scheme, with potential future wider rollout across the city.

Additional council funding will be used to compliment the schemes in the bid above, as well as consulting and co-designing schemes with local communities, residents and businesses. 

The second phase bid will complement the first phase of funding which is being used to deliver a number of measures across the city including:

  • Extensions to existing Park and Pedal facilities at Rawcliffe Bar Park & Ride site, alongside a new cycle route from the site along Shipton Road
  • Improved cycle parking in the city centre
  • Extensions to the footstreets area
  • Temporary footway widening at pinch points near shops
  • Alterations to signal timings to reduce pedestrian queuing at city centre traffic lights.
  • ‘The Groves’ neighbourhood traffic reduction 18-month trial
No mention of improvements to the rapidly declining existing cycle network

So we have a curates egg of proposals. There seems to have been no attempt made to assess potential demand for cycling facilities and hence likely use. The 2000 residents of Wheldrake may get a very expensive path. It is unlikely to carry many commuters in winter (providing street lighting would be even more expensive).

The 12,000 residents of Westfield are offered nothing. Ditto the Rural West ward, where the Knaption – Rufforth cycle path, and several rural carriageways need resurfacing, also get nothing.

There has been no consultation. The so called “big conversation” doesn’t offer choices on transport projects.

There is no consent from residents and without that we will see resentment and conflict.. That much was evident on Bishopthorpe Road.

The Council say the “work will be co-ordinated with the council’s Economic Recovery Strategy, which will be delivered over the next few months.

The strategy focuses on prioritising active travel, working with bus and rail operators to ensure people can continue to use public transport with confidence and creating a more people-focussed city centre.

To find out more about, York’s Active Travel Fund Bid, visit: www.york.gov.uk/ActiveTravelBid (bid documents will be live on this webpage tomorrow, 11 August).

Tell us what you think

We’re asking residents and businesses to complete our Big Conversation survey, which kick-starts a year-long programme of on and offline opportunities for residents and businesses to shape the city’s recovery.

Over 700 people have already responded and we’d be grateful for your views too: www.york.gov.uk/OurBigConversation “

Ascot Way still closed

Builders have closed Ascot Way forcing a bus diversion. The road has been closed by builders working on the Lincoln Court/Windsor House site.

A pedestrian route has been maintained but vehicles including buses and cyclists face a detour.

Ascot Way closed

The Council had previously claimed that the Centre for the Disabled, being built on the site of the former Windsor House home, would be completed in June. Work on this project, and the adjacent upgrade of the Lincoln Court apartments , looks to be some way from completion.

The Kingsway area has had more than its fair share of disruption in recent years. There is only one access road open and it has born the brunt of heavy vehicle operations. First there was the Hob Stone development – which dragged on for three years, then the Council development in Newbury Avenue to be quickly followed by the work now going on in Ascot Way.

Local residents are looking forward to the end of the disruption, the restoration of lost amenities plus urgently needed repairs to roads.

Busier in York today

A lot more visitors to York City centre today. Most of the car parks used by shoppers were full.

Never been a more important time for the Council to get its car park space availability advance signs working again. Same for variable message signs.
Nunnery Lane car park full
Half a dozen unoccupied disabled spaces at Nunnery Lane
Reason why some people don’t cycle into York? Bike -or most of it – may have gone by the time you return
Castle car park – York’s most popular with shoppers – full today. This is the car park that some Councillors wish to close.
Peel Street car park full. This is the privately owned car park which is offering free parking in conjunction with some City centre traders. Seems to be very successful
College Street attractions proving to be popular. Possible scope for something similar in the Duncombe Place/Deans Park area?
More people in Parliament Street but the space is still underused.
Improving footfall on Fossgate with a coupe of restaurants serving from outside tables.
Goodramgate foot street also well used today
People even queuing to get into Spark! Council may be hoping for a rent payment?
Monk Bar general spaces 95% occupied. Unfortunately, once again, only four of the 40 spaces reserved for blue badge holders were in use. Needs an early policy review.
Most embarrassing gaff by the Council is the – largely unused – cycling lane in the Marygate car park. The rest of the car park was full today. The car park is popular with shoppers and uses the “pay on exit” system. The parking spaces could be reinstated and cyclists could choose to use the service road if they wish.
The Esplanade short stay car park was at 80% of its capacity today.
Lots of space at the railway station car park. Suspect that LNER may have missed an opportunity here.?

As one road reopens and another closes

Footstreets extended to support Castlegate “businesses and social distancing”

With Bishopthorpe Road due to reopen on Monday, the York Council has issued a statement saying “We are creating additional outdoor space on Castlegate, after businesses grouped together to put forward proposals to transform the road into footstreets and use the space for pavement cafes & stalls”.

The one way street is not used by through traffic so the main impact will be on disabled parking and servicing.  No criteria on how the success of the project will be judged have been published.

Castlegate will be extended into the city centre pedestrian zone to help support local businesses by providing residents more space to social distance and making access to city centre restaurants, pubs, cafes, shops and businesses easier, as part of the emergency response to COVID-19.

The actions are designed to support the council’s Economic Recovery – Transport and Place Strategy, to build resident, visitor and stakeholder confidence that York is a safe, healthy and attractive place for everyone.

York has one of the largest pedestrian zones in Europe, with many areas within York’s city centre already designated as pedestrian footstreets.

In line with the Government guidance on public spaces and relaxing the restrictions for the hospitality sector this month, the council is extending the footstreet hours, which are expected to be in place from 8 August. This means no vehicles are allowed to access, or park on, these streets, including deliveries between 10.30am 8pm, seven days a week.  During the footstreet times, barriers will be in place in Castlegate to control access, but emergency vehicles will be permitted access at all times.

These are temporary measures as part of the emergency response to the pandemic and will remain under review as national guidance evolves and local needs change.

The council wants to encourage people who have been working from home all day to head in to the city centre to eat, relax and socialise in a family-friendly early evening environment.  Alongside this, the council is encouraging the safe return of residents and visitors by incentivising short stay parking in some of the city’s car parks.

This includes offering 1 hour free parking in August to support local businesses and residents and encouraging people to shop local. More on this can be found here: www.york.gov.uk/news/article/235/free-parking-supports-economy

In addition to this, Blue Badge holders can, as has always been the case, park for free in any council car park and can take advantage of using disabled bay spaces in council car parks too. For more information on council car parks visit www.york.gov.uk/parking

Face mask Friday – but concern grows about Council knee jerk decisions

Face masks will have to be worn in shops from today. It remains to be seen how effective this government policy will be.

What is now clear is that some of the impulsive decisions taken a couple of months ago, at the peak of the pandemic by the York Council, have not met the test of time.

Tinkering with traffic systems without proper consultation or impact assessments was always a recipe for failure.

Crucially no attempt was made to define how success would be measured.

So how have they fared?

Bishopthore Road lane closure

This was intended to provide queuing space for shoppers. It was claimed that it would make social distancing easier.

Critics pointed to new hazards for cyclists on the contraflow lane, increased congestion & pollution on alternative routes and a missed opportunity to trial an off peak pedestrian area (10:30am – 4:00pm) approach.

The results have been disappointing with the alternative Nunnery Lane/Blossom Street/ Scarcroft Road suffering for increased congestion. Bus services have been adversely affected. There has been short cutting through residential areas like St Benedict Road where parking is also now a problem

There is little footpath queuing on the east of the shopping area. The forecourted shops on the other side have adequate space although bollards have reduced flexibility.

Verdict – scrap it

An ill considered scheme which missed the opportunity that part time pedestrianisation might have offered.

Fortunately there have been no accidents involving cyclists yet, although northbound traffic levels remain below average (as they do across the whole of the highway network)

Reduced social distancing requirements (now one metre rather than two) and the introduction of face masks should lead to this trial being abandoned. A more thorough consultation on the options for the Bishopthorpe Road area could then take place.

Bollards have not improved social distancing on Bishopthorpe Road
Problems with car parking and short cutting through the St Benedict’s Road area

Foss Bridge

One of the general traffic lanes across Foss Bridge on the inner ring road was repurposed for cyclists (southbound) . The lane had been coned off while maintenance work on the bridge was carried out in the early spring.

Most cyclists opt to use the riverside off road path. Comparatively few choose to use the inner ring road.

Verdict – retain and consult on its future

There has been little congestion on this section of the inner ring road although general travel patterns are not expected to return to pre COVID levels before September.

The cycle lane has been obstructed on occasions by delivery drivers, taxi pick ups etc. so the solution is less than perfect.

Vehicle numbers on this section of the inner ring road greatly exceed the number of cyclists

Monk Bar car park disabled spaces

The Council allocated 40 spaces at the Monk Bar car park for blue badge holders when additional access & parking restrictions were introduced in the City centre (e.g. Goodramgate). A “free” taxi service link to the rear of Kings Square is offered. The decision – like several others – was taken by the Councils acting chief executive with no prior consultation.

Blue badge holders can park on single yellow lines and park free of charge at Council car parks.

The little used taxi service is costing taxpayers £354 a day.

It appears that no attempt was made to assess the demand for disabled parking spaces at Monk Bar or for the taxi link. The Council didn’t specify the use of low emission vehicles on the taxi contract

Typically no more than five blue badge holders are parking at Monk Bar at any one time. The remaining general parking spaces are being increasingly used but the car park has yet to reach the full occupation levels seen before the pandemic. The Council has also recently allocated more on street parking spaces for blue badge holders in streets like Duncombe Place.

While the initiative was well intentioned, the Council hopelessly misjudged the demand for the service.

Verdict – revise the scheme

The number of reserved spaces can be reduced and the taxi link abandoned. Consultations can take place with disabled group representatives and traders on other options. These might include a “home to city centre” subsidised taxi service for the disabled where costs are recompensed when goods are bought.

Monk Bar blue badge spaces unused
Narrow access path at Monk Bar car park. No provision made for social distancing (see Maygate below)

Marygate car park

Around 40 parking spaces have been cordoned off. The Council claimed it was to allow cyclists to avoid joint use of the footpath (which links Scarborough Bridge to Bootham Terrace). In turn this helped to maintain a two metre social distancing zone.

The scheme was criticised when proposed because if failed to assess the effectiveness of the obvious alternative (encouraging cyclists to use the internal car park service road) which would have involved the loss of only one parking space.

There were bigger problems on other routes from Scarborough Bridge both at the north (Marygate) end of the bridge and crucially at the station itself. A narrow tunnel connects the shared cycle/footpath to Bootham Terrace.

The introduction of one metre social distancing guidelines and the use of face masks will reduce any health threat.

Observations at the car park suggest that the cycle route through the parking spaces is very little used (with some cyclists opting to use the service road anyway).

The car park has been busy on occasions but has not yet reached capacity. This may change if August is as busy as it has been in the past

Verdict – amend the scheme to allow cyclists to use the car park service road.

There is no Coronavirus heath justification for routing cyclists through car parking spaces. The break in the perimeter fence can be retained – and one place bollarded off – to allow access via the service road to Bootham Tce and Almery Garth. A ramp to St Mary’s – promised but never delivered – would be a useful for both cyclists and disabled buggy users.

The Council should sort out an acceptable route for cyclists wishing to access the route from Scarborough bridge to Lowther Tce (long term plans for the station frontage remodelling need to recognise this demand)

Conned off section on Marygate car park is little used by cyclists
No cycling when you reach the station

Coronavirus York updates: 15th July 2020

How the Council plans to use extra government transport grant

A secret meeting held today has endorsed a list of transport improvements on which the Council hopes to spend government grant money (Emergency Active Travel grant).

The list does not include any schemes in suburban or village areas, although there have been numerous requests for the Council to improve the maintenance of cycle tracks and to provide additional cycle parking stands on shopping streets. There is very little on the list for pedestrians.

Unfortunately the Council seems prepared to continue the dangerous (for cyclists) carriageway closure on Bishopthorpe Road and will add other contraflow cycle lanes on Coppergate and in The Groves area (Penley’s Grove Street).

Traffic counters are also on the Councils shopping list although traffic measurement tools like these have been deployed in the City for over 2 decades.

Ironically cycle improvements are promised on Tadcaster Road. Since the recent resurfacing this is probably the best road for cycling on in the whole of the City (although the off street path near Tesco does need levelling).

Once again there was no prior notice given of the meeting so residents had no opportunity to make representations before the decision was published. It really is about time for the Council to reintroduce at least a semblance of transparency and democracy back into its governance arrangements.

Deaths and positive test results

An additional positive test result was recorded in York on Monday. This brings the cumulative total to 911

There have been no further COVID 19 related deaths at York Trust Hospitals

Disabled parking changes

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The York Council is to relax its City centre ban on blue badge parking.

In another “behind closed doors” decision, approval has been given to create “a parking bay on Duncombe Place (at the north west end of the street) allowing parking for Blue Badge holders for up to 3 hours and loading for up to 30mins seven days/week”.

The Council is also to investigate and implement additional disabled bays in other on-street areas “where feasible”

The Council has pointedly not revealed how much use has been made of the additional 40 disabled spaces which it laid out at the Monk Bar car park. It appears that the vast majority have remained empty.  

The Council has been paying a taxi company to provide a lift service from the car park to Kings Square. It turns out that the cost to taxpayers has been £238 a day although the service has been little used. Now the hours of operation of the service are being extended to 8:00pm increasing the daily cost to £358 a day.

That is more than the Council used to spend on transport tokens which were made available to disabled people. The tokens could be used to purchase a door to door taxi service.

There is still no news of any help from the Council for suburban shopping areas like Front Street. It had been suggested that the relaxation of parking restriction there for blue badge holders could have provided both a boost for local traders plus a more convenient option for those with disabilities.

Bollards

The Council has also revealed that lift out bollards and sockets are to be provided at three locations: Goodramgate (junction with Deangate), Blake Street and Fossgate (junction with Merchantage), at a cost of up to £5,000.

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Hostile bollards?

The Council says that these will support the enforcement of access restrictions but not provide “hostile vehicle mitigation”.

Staffing costs for manning the access points are put  at £4,800 for the first week when all three closures are staffed (approx. £690/day). “They will then reduce to approx. £1,900/week (approx. £280/day)”.

On street drinking

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The Council has approved the implementation of an “interim pavement café licensing process to enable the hospitality industry to apply for temporary pavement café licences in advance of the Business and Planning Bill being enacted. These temporary licences will be valid for a maximum period of three months after which they will be reviewed and extended for up to a year in line with the requirements set out in the new legislation (not beyond the end of September 2021)”

While allowing outside tables to be provided where space allows seems a sensible step during  the current health crisis, the lack of any comment on the implications on alcohol fuelled disorder have not been acknowledged by the Council. It is unclear where, and when,  the details of any applications will be published

No tip bookings from Monday

The appointment system, which is currently operating at York’s household waste sites like Hazel Court, will be discontinued with effect from Monday

NB. A response to a Freedom of Information request has revealed that the number of appointment requests at Hazel Court have been averaging around 275 a day. At Towthorpe the daily rate has been 214 recently.