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.

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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A special Easter Fayre is being held in St Sampson’s Square and Parliament Street alongside the city’s York Chocolate Festival from Thursday 28 to Saturday 30 March, 9am – to 5.30pm.

The Easter Fayre brings together some of the regions best makers and their chocolate-based products, alongside the creations of some exceptional local crafts people.

Shoppers and browsers will also be able to enjoy the market for longer each day, because the City is trialling longer opening hours for the city centre’s foot streets which will remain pedestrianised until 5pm every day.

St Sampson’s Square will be given over to a delicious display of gourmet treats from chocolate-based wines and liqueurs to a mouth-watering selection of cakes, truffles, brownies and cookies in white, milk or dark chocolate.

This specialist market will run alongside and complement the city’s Chocolate Festival which includes a programme of chocolate-themed events at the Mansion House.

At the same time on Parliament Street the Easter Crafts and Food Fayre will be in full swing where some 40 artists, potters and jewellers will be selling a wide range of hand-made, individual pieces of work – some Fair Trade – for that perfect Easter treat.

Parliament Street will also host the Deliciouslyorkshire market. There foodies can relish the locally-sourced goodies from tasty cheeses, pickles, baked goods, to fudges and preserves on tantalising offer: it’s local food at its best.

Every trip to York’s city centre should include a visit to Newgate Market, nestled between Parliament Street and the Shambles – voted Britain’s prettiest street. This daily market not only has an abundance of fresh produce including local meat and North Sea fish for the Easter table, but flowers and plants as well as a selection of crafts, clothes, jewellery and antiques.

The quality offer and extended opening hours give everyone a chance to linger longer in the city centre for a memorable Easter eggs-perience.

Click individual events for more details

• Made in Yorkshire 3rd Mar 15th Dec Merchant Adventurers Hall A fresh and funky new shopping event in the heart of York, showcasing the county’s very best designer makers and vintage homewares

• Hairy Bikers 3rd Mar Sun Grand Opera House

• Let’s hear it for the girls 3rd Mar Sun 1:00pm Explore Library Celebrate International Women’s Week with Naomi Beeley, Womens Land Army Community Outreach Officer, to explore the history of the Women’s Land Army

• Pack a punch 4th Mar Mon 11:00am Explore Library

• Pack a punch 5th Mar Tues 10:00am Explore Acomb Come along to discover what inspired Nicola Adams to win gold at the London Oympics.

• Oliver 5th 16th Mar Theatre Royal

• Yamato Drummers 5th Mar Tues Royal Opera House

• Ebor Lectures 6th Mar Minster with Revd Dr Giles Fraser Priest in charge St Mary’s Newington/The Guardian Columnist

• John Shuttleworth 6th Mar Wed Grand Opera House

• WOW Kate Bush 7th Mar Thurs Grand Opera House

• Super circuits 7th Mar Thurs 5:30pm York RI & every Thursday Improve your fitness, stamina and strength and have some fun during this body conditioning class

• Writing your story 7th Mar Thur 2:30pm Dringhouses Library Join us for a friendly writing workshop led by Pauline Kirk for both beginners and experienced writers

• Bootleg Beatles 8th Mar Fri 8:00pm Barbican

• Abba For the music 8th Mar Fri 7:30pm Grand Opera House /

• Bach’s St Matthew Passion 9th Mar Minster (YMS)

• Listen to the chamber secrets 9th Mar Sat 1:00pm Early Music centre Take some time out from your busy day and enjoy performances by choirs, guitar groups, a string quartet and the Minster Minstrels

• The Festival of the Passions 9th – 24th Mar Minster

• Richard Herring 9th Mar Sat Grand Opera House

• Scottish Fiddle Orchestra 9th Mar Sat 7:30m Barbican

• Rugby League Knights v Workington 10th Mar Sun 3:00pm Huntington Stadium

• Football City v Rochdale 12th Mar Tues Bootham Cres

• Baroque soloists 13th Mar Wed 7:30pm Minster

• Get ready for Le Tour 13th Mar Wed 10:00am Dunnington Sports Club Cycle training for adults who are both complete beginners and those who wish to improve their skills and confidence when riding.

• The circus is coming to town 13th – 17th Mar Knavesmire Planet Circus are coming to town with a guarantee of a fun packed couple of hours for all the family

• The Way of the Drum 14th March Early music centre (sold out)

• Blues Brothers 14th/16th March Grand Opera House

• Smokie 15th Mar Fri 7:30pm Barbican

• An evening with Freddie Flintoff 15th March Racecourse (Cancelled)

• Football City v Port Vale 16th Mar Sat Bootham Cres

• Abba Mania 16th Mar Sat 7:30pm Barbican

• Monteverdi 1610 Vespers 16th Mar Sat &:30pm St Michael le Belfrey

• Passiontide Splendours 16th Mar Sat 7:30pm Minster

• Symphony for spring 16th Mar Sat 7:00pm Early music centre A concert presenting string ensembles from York Arts Academy, together with the York Arts Academy Symphony Orchestra. Come along and hear music by Schubert, Vivaldi, Mozart and many more!

• Bring York alive stories 18th Mar onwards Explore York Explore some of the 1000 stories collected for York Stories 2012 community project from people across York and beyond, which bring York alive

• Martin Carthy 19th March Early music centre

• The Odyssey 19th – 20th Mar Theatre Royal

• The Winters Tale – RSC 19th/23rd March Grand Opera House

• Stabat Mater 20th Mar Minster

• June Tabor 21st March Early music centre

• White caps 21st Mar 7:30m Theatre Royal

• York literature festival 19th/24th Mar Various

• How to read minds 22nd Mar 8:00pm Theatre Royal

• Comedy Night 22nd Mar Fri Racecourse

•<strong> St John Passion 23rd Mar Minster

• Car boot sale 23rd Mar Sat Racecourse

• Take over 13 comedy night 23rd Mar Sat Theatre Royal

• Palm Sunday Procession 24th Mar Sun 10:00am Minster

• Messing about on the river 24th Mar Sun 12:00 noon Rowntree Park Now the weather is turning and we look forward to Spring and Summer, the members of the York Model Boat Club will be holding their first Regatta of the season

• Boogie Nights 24th Mar Sun 7:30pm Barbican

• Carol Ann Duffy 24th Mar 5:00pm Theatre Royal

• Mother Africa 26th Mar Tues Grand Opera House

• The 39 Steps 26th /30th Mar Theatre Royal

• Sally Morgan 27th Mar Wed Grand Opera House

• Stand up York 28th Mar Thu 6:30pm Barbican

• Jake Bugg 29th Mar Fri 7:00pm Barbican (sold out)

• Rugby Knights v Featherstone 29th Mar Sun 1:00pm Huntington Stadium

• Chocolate Festival 29th Mar – 1st April York cocoa house

• Joe Brown in concert 30th Mar Sat Grand Opera House

• Model Railway show 30th Mar – 1st Apr York Racecourse

April

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The Police have issued the following statement

“As North Yorkshire Police prepares for the transition from a single, mobile safety camera pilot, to three permanent mobile safety cameras, our usual system of deploying to specific routes for a week at a time, will temporarily change.

As part of a quality control check, every route which we have enforced over the course of the pilot scheme will be visited by officers over the coming weeks to ensure it is still suitable for safety camera enforcement. Therefore the safety camera will be present at every site at some point over the next few weeks.

Our usual system of notifying the specific routes each week will be suspended.

We will publicise the launch of the new mobile safety cameras ahead of their operational deployment”.

Mobile safety camera pilot – all deployment routes are listed below:

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• York Residents Festival 26th/27th Jan Various A chance for York citizens to enjoy free and discounted entry into some of York’s world class attractions

• Rugby League Knights v Hull 27th Jan Sun Huntington Stadium

• York Dance Works 27th Jan Sun 3:00pm Barbican

• Get stuck in Mon 28th Jan 1:00pm West Bank Park This task is to check the condition of the nest boxes in West Bank Park and to repair those that can be repaired. We will also be able to make some new ones and install them in time for nesting season.contact Jenny Cairns on 07833 436832

• Stand Up York 31st Jan Thurs 6:30pm Barbican

• Paloma Faith 1st Feb Barbican (sold out)

• Images of Auschwitz 1st Feb – 15th Feb York Explore Library

• Football City v Morecambe 2nd Feb sat Bootham Cres

• 20th Century Choral Masters 2nd Feb 7:30pm St Michael le Belfrey

• Moscow Ballet The Nutcracker 2nd/3rd Feb Barbican

* • York Bayer Tapestry 2nd Feb Sat 10:00am `Art Gallery

* • Upholstery master class 2nd & 3rd Feb 9;00am Rogues Atelier

• Dolly Parton Musical 4th/9th Feb Grand Opera House

• Home-Start schools concert 7th Feb Minster

• Little Mix 8th Feb 7:00pm Barbican (sold out)

*• Ales N Tales 8th – 15th Feb Various pubs

• Anton & Erin go to Hollywood 9th Feb 3:00pm/7:30pm Barbican

• Rugby League Knights v Swinton 10th Feb Sun 3:00pm Huntington Stadium

* • Wellies and waders 11th Feb 1:00pm Rawcliffe Country park

* • Harry Hill 11th 12th Feb Grand Opera House

• Rita Ora 12th Feb Tues 6:30pm Barbican

• Ladies 5 a side football 12th Feb Tues & weekly York Sport Village

• Rumours of Fleetwood Mac 13th Feb Grand Opera House

• Russell Kane 14th Feb Grand Opera House

• Steve Knightly 15th Feb Early Music Centre

• Guinness World Records 15th Feb Fri 7:00pm Barbican

• Billy Fury Story 15th Feb Fri Grand Opera House

*• Could you be a Viking warrior? 16th Feb Sat 11:30am York Explore Library

• Football City v Barnet 16th Feb Sat Bootham Cres

• JORVIK Viking Festival 16th 24th Feb Various

• The Rat Pack 16th Feb Sat Grand Opera House

*• York: Capital of the North 16th Feb onwards Yorkshire Museum

• Toy Story: come and play 16th Feb onwards Castle Museum

• The Nolans 16th Feb Sat 7:30pm Barbican

• The Ratcracker 17th Feb Sun Grand Opera House

• American Wrestling 18th Feb Mon Grand Opera House

• Ex Dubliners 18th Feb Mon 7:30pm Barbican

• Fit @ 50 18th Feb Mon 9:30am Energise Cornlands Road

• Moscow State Circus 20th/21st Feb Grand Opera House

• Viking Family activities 20th Feb Minster

• Heimkoma 20th Feb Minster

• Minster of Mystery 22nd Feb Minster (visit to undercroft works)

• Miss Saigon 22nd Feb 2nd Mar Jo Ro Theatre

• ELO Experience 22nd Feb Fri Grand Opera House

• Milton Jones 22nd Feb Fri 8:00pm Barbican

• Comedy Night 22nd Feb Fri Racecourse

* • Viking incursion 23rd Feb Sat 2:00pm York Explore Library

• Music from the Movies 23rd Feb Sat Racecourse

• York Guildhall Orchestra 23rd Feb Sat 7:30pm Barbican

• Roy Orbison & friends 23rd Feb Sat Grand Opera House

*• On your bike 18th Feb Fri 9:30am Huntington school • Dance on Yorkshire 24th Feb Sun 7:00pm Barbican

• Rugby League Knights v Halifax 24th Feb Sun 3:00pm Huntington Stadium

• The Soldiers 24th Feb Sun Grand Opera House

• Yiddish Twist Orchestra 26th Feb Tues 7:30pm Early Music Centre

• The Woman in Black 25th/2nd Mar Theatre Royal

*• Silver sparkles 25th Feb 25th Mar 7:00pm Huntington School

• Make do and mend 25th Feb 7:00pm York High School

• Goodnight Mister Tom 26th/2nd Mar Grand Opera House

• Paving the way 26th Feb Tues Rowntree park

• Shout it out 26th Feb 7:00pm Fulford School

• VentureFest 28th Feb Racecourse

• Symbols and legends 28th Feb Thurs 5:30pm York Explore Library

• Beuno lingo Italia 28th Feb 7:00pm Fulford school

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Following on from the revelations about the increase in the number of gifts and the amount of hospitality being accepted by some York Councillors, figures have emerged about the costs of the travel that they are undertaking.

There has been a long tradition of openness at the York Council about expenses. Lists are published each month on their web site with a summary produced at the end of each year.

Last years produced no surprises with the amounts claimed being modest. The trend continues with the monthly reports which can also be found on the Councils web site

The Councils says on the web site, “As part of our commitment to be open and transparent we will publish Councillors’ expenses and allowances on a monthly basis”.

Strange therefore that it has taken dogged work by one back bench Councillor to reveal the true cost of expenses being claimed by some of the Councils “Cabinet”.

A total of over £6000 has been paid to cover travel costs. The payments do not appear on the Councils web site, but were released following questions raised at the Council meeting held in December. Most of the 200 journeys in themselves are unexceptional although some will question why a Councillor earning around £30,000 a year needed to have a £3 train fare paid for by taxpayers.

£40 on taxi fares to Huby seems a lot as does a similar amount for a taxi to Sand Hutton.

Few will however doubt the value of the £251 spent on a one way train ticket from London to Leeds which allowed the Council Leader to meet Nick Clegg.

In total Cllr Alexander has accumulated £2492 in travel costs. Cllr Laing cost £1516, Cllr Crisp £669, Cllr Gunnell £482, Cllr Merrett £351 and Cllr Leven £165.

In future, the Council should for completeness, make sure that these costs are included in the monthly expenses returns that it publishes on its web site.

A full list of costs is published below.

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• Football City v Burton 1st Jan Bootham Cres

• Robin Hood & his Merry Mam 1st Jan/2nd Feb Theatre Royal

• Sleeping Beauty 2nd/6th Jan Grand Opera House

• Winter Health Walks Jan – Mar Various http://www.york.gov.uk/healthwalks

• Football City v Exeter 5th Jan Bootham Cres

• Singamajigs 8th Jan 10:15 am Theatre Royal

• Storymakers 9th Jan 10:15 am Theatre Royal

• Holocaust Memorial events 10th Jan – 23rd Jan Various http://yortime.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/building-better-and-safer-future.html

• Brighouse & Rastrick BB 12th Jan 7:30pm Barbican

• Rugby League Knights v Crusaders 13th Jan Sun 3:00pm Huntington Stadium

• Get stuck in Mon 14th Jan 1:00pm Clifton Backies We will be working to uncover some of the remains of the old airfield. The heavy work was completed last year but since then some of the plants have regrown and leaves have fallen on the remains. We would like to clear this back so they don’t disappear into the undergrowth again. contact Jenny Cairns on 07833 436832

• HUGE 19th Jan Grand Opera House

• Football City v Aldershot 19th Jan Bootham Cres

• Rugby League Knights v Hunslet 20th Jan Sun 3:00pm Huntington Stadium

• Motowns greatest hits 22nd Jan Tues Grand Opera House

• Classic rock show 23rd Jan Grand Opera House

• Photography course 25th Jan – 15th Feb Rawcliffe Country Park Please contact Michael Rothwell by email: michael.rothwell@york.gov.uk By phone: 07951 497205

• Comedy Night 25th Jan Fri Racecourse

• MAYHEM 26th Jan Grand Opera House

• Burns Night Ceilidh 26th Jan De Grey Rooms

• Moving on from 1212 26th Jan Sat 2:00pm York Explore Library 100 years after 1212 York was briefly the capital of England during Scotland’s Wars of Independence. This lecture will explore the impact of the wars on the city

• Behind the scenes at the archives 26th Jane Sat 9:30am Art Gallery Work starts on a new £1.6m Heritage Lottery funded City Archive in 2013. This is your last chance to see behind the scenes at the old Archive before it closes. Pre booking essential Tel. 01904 552828

• York Residents Festival 26th/27th Jan Various A chance for York citizens to enjoy free and discounted entry into some of York’s world class attractions

• New Council HQ preview 26th/27th Jan Toft Green look round the newly refurbished building which will house the council offices.

• Rugby League Knights v Hull 27th Jab Sun Huntington Stadium

• York Dance Works 27th Jan Sun 3:00pm Barbican

• Get stuck in Mon 28th Jan 1:00pm West Bank Park This task is to check the condition of the nest boxes in West Bank Park and to repair those that can be repaired. We will also be able to make some new ones and install them in time for nesting season.contact Jenny Cairns on 07833 436832

• Stand Up York 31st Jan Thurs 6:30pm Barbican

For more information on events in York please visit the following web sites

1. Barbican http://www.yorkbarbican.co.uk/ tel. 0844 854 2757

2. Early Music Centre http://www.ncem.co.uk/?idno=152
tel. 01904 658338

3. Grand Opera House http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/grand-opera-house-york/
tel. 0844 847 2322

4. Minster http://www.yorkminster.org/whats-on.html
tel. 0844 939 0015

5. Racecourse http://www.yorkracecourse.co.uk/
tel. 01904 620911

6. Theatre Royal https://www.yorktheatreroyal.purchase-tickets-online.co.uk/public
tel (01904) 623568

7. Visit York http://www.visityork.org/ tel. 01904 550099

8. Yortime https://www.yortime.org.uk/eCommunityEvents/yortime/Default.aspx

9. York City Football Club http://www.yorkcityfootballclub.co.uk/
tel. 01904 624447

10. York Knights RLFC http://www.yorkcityknights.co.uk/york-city-knights-fixture-list-2013
tel. 01904 767404

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We’ve had over 292,000 visits to this site during the last year. That represents a 182% increase on the 2011 total of 103,616.

Thank you!

Most popular story in 2012 was one that gave details of the location of the Queens Jubilee Beacon on Bachelor Hill on 2nd June. (The media had failed to identify the site).

A lot of visitors arrived looking for details of the Olympic Flame route on 19th June.

Land Rover Defender owners visited in droves as North Yorkshire police reported a spate of thefts of this type of vehicle in November.

On the political front, a lot of visitors wanted to know more about Rebecca Taylor as she replaced Diana Wallace (27th Jan) as one of our local MEPs.

Most popular humorous article involved the Councils Leaders views on beer.

The latest traffic news was a popular choice amongst visitors with flooding news dominating the rest of the top 10
1. Flood-warning-in-York 5th Nov
2. A19-Fulford-Road-now-open 29th Sept
3. More-York-floods-photos-watersports-on-the-Knavesmire 30th Sept
4. Floods-in-york//2012/09/25/ 25th Sept
5. Elderly-care-costs-in-York-–-a-suitable-case-for-scrutiny 20th Sept
6. Flooding-update-–-York-open-for-“business-as-usual” 26th Sept
7. PCC-election-result-in-North-Yorkshire 16th Nov
8. Floods-update 27th Sept
9. Energise-pool-success 2nd Oct 2010
10. Derwenthorpe-–-“most-advanced-housing-development-in-York-for-over-a-century” 24th Apr

Not surprisingly, the vast majority of visitors came from York with many others accessing the site from Leeds, London and Newcastle.

Those from further afield included residents in the USA, Australia and Spain. We had only 1 visitor from Vietnam and none at all from Greenland (!)

Source Google Analytics

Winning bids for the 2012 Why should they? campaign

12 North Yorkshire charities and groups are celebrating this week after they were chosen to receive a cash award from a pot of criminals’ cash. One of the groups is based in York

York Playspace Chill-out zones – £3,000

Providing much needed youth engagement in the deprived areas of York, the three zones or youth clubs provide a safe haven and essential emotional and practical support for 250 young people across York.

The zones cost £43,500 per year to run, 75% of which is funded from other sources. The money will go towards the remaining shortfall to help continue the project.

Many of the children who attend the zones face problems including low self-esteem, behavioural and anger problems, drug and alcohol dependent parents, parents in prison, loneliness, abuse and long term exclusion from education.

The Zones are one of the few places they can go to be supported and listened to and be themselves. The Zones give the children life skills through activities including our aspiring project to help them to grow their own food to turn into a main meal.

The Zones give young people something positive to do instead of hanging around the streets and becoming involved in criminal activity and anti-social behaviour. They are provided with a hot meal, which may be the only hot meal they get that day and which they plan, cook and prepare.

They also receive help with maths and English to equip them with key educational skills.

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North Yorkshire Police is urging the public to be on their guard as Christmas criminals look for easy targets.

At this time of year, opportunistic thieves are on the lookout for insecure vehicles and properties which are filled with expensive Christmas presents.

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