It looks like the proposal to change traffic signal priorities at the Gillygate/Bootham/St Leonard’s Place junction will be abandoned.
Some York Councillors had apparently favoured introducing additional delays on traffic flows through the junction as part of a signal renewal programme.
The revised arrangement – although improving pedestrian facilities – could have resulted in a 40% increase in travel times with some journeys being diverted onto already busy alternative routes.
There would also have been a consequential increase in air pollution levels on streets like Gillygate because of standing traffic. Bus journey times would have increased.
A public consultation exercise was undertaken to test residents’ reactions to the plan. Despite some leading questions being included in the on-line survey, most respondents (58%) have come out against major changes.
Although the junction is far from ideal for all road users, it currently reflects the compromises that come if you wish to conserve the historic features of a City like York.
The responses to the consultation do reveal a growing chasm between the views of people who live within walking distance of the City centre and those who use personal transport to travel to the facilities that are located there.
There is a lack of empathy between the two groups which suggests that finding a consensus on a new transport plan for the City (click) may prove to be illusive.
Options consulted on for Bootham Gillygate junction winter 2020/21
Air quality remains good, and pollution levels very low, on Gillygate and at other monitoring sites in the City.
Traffic levels are, however, higher than were recorded during lockdown 1 last spring. They are likely to increase further from Monday when there will be a general return to school.
It will be April before shops and offices reopen.
Council plans to reduce road capacity at the Gillygate/St Leonard’s Place/ Bootham junction seem ill timed and insufficiently thought through.
The plans could increase congestion by 30%. That would delay bus services including the vital park and ride links.
In the meantime, residents can monitor hour by hour pollution levels by clicking this link
Meanwhile we understand that the Council will delay its assessment of the effects of road closures in The Groves area.
A review was due in the spring.
They are right to delay as traffic volumes and movements have been untypical during the Lockdown period.
However, it does mean that a reassessment of some of the more questionable aspects of the scheme – such as contraflow cycle routes – will remain in place as traffic volumes and safety hazards increase.
There have been no queues involving deer or cattle in The Groves during recent months
This design replaces all signalling equipment at the junction whilst also making slight improvements for pedestrians crossing the junction. Transport modelling of these revisions indicate that the impact to all vehicular traffic moving through the junction is negligible however the improvements to infrastructure at the site make future upgrades and revisions to operation easier.
* A full replacement of all on site traffic signalling technology
* Pedestrian Crossing width increased to 4 metres on the Bootham arm of the junction
* Pedestrian Crossing width increased to 6 metres on the Gillygate arm of the junction
* Tactile paving on the St Leonards Place arm of the crossing to be realigned meet current design standards.
Option 2
This design looks to reallocate space at the junction from road traffic to pedestrians whilst also replacing the required signalling equipment.
Transport modelling of the redesign indicates that the changes would reduce the capacity of the junction by approximately 30%. This would see significant increases in general traffic delay at the junction and a large increase in queues which would impact on adjacent junctions across the network.
* A full replacement of all on site traffic signalling technology.
* Pedestrian Crossing widths increased to 4 metres across both the Gillygate and Bootham arms of the junction.
* Additional pedestrian crossing point introduced from the eastern corner of Gillygate to the western footway of St Leonards Place.
* Removal of the left turn lane from St Leonards Place reducing the highway into a single lane in both directions.
* Highway realigned to the East of Gillygate/St Leonards place to create a more straight ahead route for vehicles travelling from Gillygate into St Leonards Place and additional footway and pedestrian realm adjacent to Bootham Bar.
* Existing Pedestrian Island removed from St Leonards place and crossing realigned as a single stage crossing.
The consultation runs until 31st March.
Dropped kerbs
The Council is also consulting on a revised policy for approving dropped kerb – verge cross over plans.
Lack of on street parking space means that more residents will be likely to seek to make this change in the future. Installation of vehicle charging facilities as the internal combustion engine is phased out, may stimulate demand.
The new regulations are very proscriptive. They don’t permit the relocation of tree or street furniture which may obstruct access to a driveway.
A programme of providing dropped kerbs for Council owned premises has stalled over recent years meaning that verges in several streets are now badly damaged.
The Council is also consulting on the future of its Homeshare services
“Currently Homeshare matches a homeowner aged 55+ who has a spare room and could benefit from some support and/or companionship (the ‘Householder’) with a younger person who will provide 10 hours of support a week in exchange for accommodation (the ‘Homesharer’). Homeshare is free to the Householder and the Homesharer pays £160 towards the running of the match as well as any contributions towards council tax increases. Homesharer’s are fully vetted including two references and a DBS check. Matches are made based on both parties’ personalities and interests and support is offered throughout the match. Matches are expected to last for a minimum of 6 months but can be ended early if a match is not working out. For more information you can visit ourHomeshare webpage.“
A report being presented to a decision meeting next week recommends thatMarygate car parkbe reduced in size by six spaces.
It is part of the fall-out from a proposal which would see the adjacent railway cycle path widened.
Marygate car park was often full during the summer. Railway cycle path on left
There have already been complaints from season pass holders that they have been unable to find space to park because of an impulsive, and totally unjustified, initiative which saw 70 spaces coned off a few months ago.
More welcome, are plans to provide a ramp access to St Mary’s. This will help both disabled buggy users and cyclists.
A design for new traffic lights at the St Mary’s junction with Bootham is also suggested.
More accessible link for cyclists is promised at the bottom of St Mary’s
Objections to the plans are dismissed out of hand by officials although the report does say that a safety audit on the proposals has been completed (the results of it are not detailed in the papers).
The scheme will cost around £360,000 including £60,000 for the path widening part of the project.
The Council has started an “on line” consultation about the changes that they plan to make to the pedestrian/cycle route which links Scarborough Bridge to St Mary’s, Bootham and beyond.
Unfortunately very few people know about the plans or the consultation.
The background information glosses over the future of the Marygate car park.
The main area of concern relates to the possible permanent loss of parking spaces in the car park. The car park has been very popular with visitors and shoppers over recent months. It is vital for the City centre economy.
Unfortunately around 40 spaces at the car park have been unusable since the York Council coned them off in June.
Marygate car park full but empty spaces coned off by Council
The consultation document says “Marygate car park will be relined to enable a modest widening of Railway Walk”
It doesn’t say how many spaces will be lost.
There is no opportunity given on the survey to support or oppose individual sections of the proposal. Instead only narrative comments are invited.
It will be impossible to quantify these, so the final decision on the scheme will rest with one York Executive Councillor (Cllr D’Agorne)
Other aspects of the plans are likely to be less controversial.
These include
Construction of a shared-use, low gradient, ramp over the existing short flight of stairs from St. Mary’s to Marygate Lane to enable people travelling by bike or on foot, as well as people with mobility issues to use St. Mary’s as a preferred quiet route.
The improvements here will also include some resurfacing of the carriageway.
Introduce traffic signals at the junction of Bootham (A19)/St. Mary’s/The Drive to provide a controlled and safer crossing of and exit onto the A19 for people travelling by bike.
This will also benefit residents of St. Mary’s by giving them a controlled exit onto Bootham to overcome queues from inbound traffic
The existing nearby pedestrian crossing on Bootham will be upgraded and brought into the same control as the new signals. Three on-street car parking spaces on St. Mary’s to be removed closest to the junction to allow the stop-line to be set back into the street.
City of York Council will be resurfacing the junction of St Leonard’s Place, Bootham and Gillygate on 25 and 26 September.
To minimise disruption work will take place from 7pm-5am and is expected to take two nights to complete.
To carry out the work safely, a temporary full road closure will be in place between 7pm and 5am on Monday and Tuesday. Work to part of the bus lay-by adjacent to Exhibition Square will also take place at the same time and will be closed throughout Tuesday and Wednesday.
During the closure period, residents and visitors will have pedestrian access to properties and local attractions. Traffic management officers will be on site to escort pedestrians where required.
Residents in the works area will have pedestrian access to their properties. Vehicle access cannot be guaranteed during the hours of working. Car park entrances within the work area will be affected and may not be accessible at all times during the works. Access to Marygate and Union Terrace car parks will still be available from Bootham and Clarence Street respectively.
Emergency services will be permitted through the works in emergency situations and pedestrian access will be available at all times. Cyclists will be required to dismount and use the footways when travelling through the affected areas.
As with any construction work, there is likely to be a certain amount of disruption. Residents in the affected area have been contacted directly and assured that everything reasonably possible will be done to keep this to a minimum. However, motorists should expect some delays and plan their journey accordingly.
The contractor carrying out the work will be Tarmac,who will be responsible for site safety and providing pedestrian access at all times.
St Leonards Place, Bootham, GillygateCarriageway Resurfacing Works
Bootham – Gillygate roadworks from 17th November 2014
City of York Council have announced that it is to reconstruct the junction at St Leonards Place, Bootham, Gillygate starting on the 17th November 2014.
The works are programmed to take 1 week to complete, working Monday to Friday between 7:00pm and 5:00am.
To carry out the works safely, a temporary full road closure will be in place between 7:00pm and 5:00am Monday to Friday, with some accommodation works taking place outside of these times.
Due to the nature of the works and the deep excavations taking place, it will not be possible for the buses to access the bus stops on St Leonards Place and all buses will be diverted to temporary bus stops.
Residents and visitors will have pedestrian access to properties and local attractions and Traffic Management Officers will be on site to escort pedestrians where required.
Residents in the works area will have pedestrian access to their properties but no vehicular access will be possible during the hours of working. Parking is not permitted on any of the roads involved. The car park entrance within the works will be affected and may not be accessible at all times during the works. Access to Marygate and Union Terrace car parks will still be available from Bootham and Clarence Street respectively.
Emergency services will be permitted through the works in an emergency situation and pedestrian access will be available at all times. Cyclists will have to dismount and use the footways when travelling through the affected areas.
