Sycamore House reopens after £326,000 refurbishment

A new multi-purpose centre has opened today (Monday 24 July) after a £326,000 refurbishment of the old Sycamore House building.

The refurbished building, to be (imaginatively) called 30 Clarence Street, will be the new city centre facility providing a range of services for residents young and old.

30 Clarence Street will be the new location for young people’s services, previously delivered from Castlegate, and will provide a drop-in and specialist advice, guidance and support service for young people age 16-18 who are not in education, employment and training. Confidential counselling for young people aged 16-25, and information signposting to services for a range of advice from health matters, relationships, housing and benefits, learning and working will also be available.

The adults’ mental health recovery service will also be based at 30 Clarence Street and will offer support, advice and, guidance to residents who are referred to it. As well as this support, people will also be able to access training and placement schemes, working on reception or in the cafe, to help them develop their skills and confidence.

Residents will be able to enjoy the refurbished Explore reading café where they can browse a range of books, meet friends, socialise and enjoy a cuppa.

The council is also leasing office space on the first floor of the building to York Mind and York Pathways and, given the links between these organisations and the services operating from the ground floor, this arrangement will help facilitate even closer working relationships between the voluntary and community sector, the council and health services.

Later in the year, the building will also welcome ‘The Haven’, an evening service will provide a safe and supportive environment for people experiencing mental distress. Open 6pm – 11pm, 7 days a week, ‘The Haven’ will offer a welcome to anyone needing it and will be run by specialist mental health services.

The opening of ‘The Haven’ was made possible after City of York Council and partners in the North Yorkshire and York crisis care concordat successfully bid for £178,000 of Department for Health funding to support the initiative. City of York Council has provided the other £148,000 of funding for the refurbishment of 30 Clarence Street.
(more…)

Clarence Street bus improvements – project cut back

A report which outlines proposed amendments to the Clarence Street bus improvement scheme to provide better value for money and minimise disruption will be considered on Thursday 9 June

The Clarence Street Bus Improvement Scheme is a Better Bus Area Fund scheme, which aims to improve journey times for buses and other road users travelling towards York on Clarence Street.

Clarence Street

The delivery of the scheme has been delayed due to the relocation of the utilities equipment required in the previously approved scheme would be much more time consuming and costly than originally anticipated.

In light of this it has been recommended not to progress with the installation of 20m of cycle lane which would require the road to be widened and would require utilities equipment to be moved. This saves approximately £90,000 and negates the need to close the junction for four weeks, significantly reducing disruption to road users.

It has also been proposed that the existing crossing island south of the Clarence Street bus stops is retained instead of replacing it with a toucan crossing.

The cost of delivering the amended scheme is £270,000, including the cost of replacing and changing the phasing of life expired traffic signals at the Clarence Street/ Lord Mayor’s Walk junction, and replacing the carriageway surface of most of Clarence Street. The scheme is funded principally from the Better Bus Area Fund which was awarded to the council from the Department for Transport.

The Decision Session takes place on Thursday 9 June at West Offices from 10am and is open to members of the public or is available to watch later online from: www.york.gov.uk/webcasts

Scheme layout. click to access

Changes to traffic priorities on Clarence Street

Clarence Street proposals – click to access

Following consultation with residents and businesses a new scheme to improve one of York’s key city centre bus routes is set to go to a Cabinet Member meeting for final approval.

The proposals include introducing a longer lane for vehicles turning left into Lord Mayor’s Walk from Clarence Street, so that straight-through/ right-turning traffic is not held up by queuing vehicles.

Traffic signals will be changed so that the left turn from Clarence Street into Lord Mayor’s Walk gets additional ‘green time’.

The scheme is supported through part of the £3.5 million Better Bus Area Fund (BBAF) awarded to the council from the Government’s Department for Transport in 2012.

The five-week consultation took place in September and October and asked for views on the proposed measures on Clarence Street to help improve the reliability of bus services on the approach to York city centre.

The findings of the consultation will now go before the Cabinet Member for Transport’s public Decision Session on Friday 21 November for final approval.

The improvements will help three of York’s five most frequent bus services, specifically routes 1, 5 and 6 which can experience some delays on Clarence Street, Gillygate and St Leonards Place.

(more…)