Better news for York – Selby cycle path users

Major resurfacing works on the Naburn to Riccall section of the cycle path are expected to take place later in the year.

The cycle path managers SUSTRANS have applied for a government grant which – if approved by Ministers in May – would see large sections of the path levelled.

The surface has been severely damaged by tree roots in recent years. SUSTRANs have already been removing some of the trees during the winter. The trees are self-seeded and became established too close to the path.

There is a hope that the resurfacing contract will include the provision of root protection guards.

 SUSTRANS also have funding to repair the path alongside the A64 subject to agreeing the details with Highways England.

SUSTRANS say that parts of the path may have to be closed while the resurfacing work takes place.

There is still no news about the promised safety improvements on the section of path from Tadcaster Road (London Bridge) to the A64 southern by-pass.

This section is the maintenance responsibility of the City of York Council.

The developers of the adjacent football club pavilion agreed some 3 years ago to invest in the path as part of their works.

With roads and footpaths to the pavilion now approaching completion, we expect the York Council to announce its proposals and timetable  for improvements to the adjacent cycle route.

Escrick Sidings

Not such good news at Escrick where the landowners have completed the levelling of the area.

The informal picnic area has been damaged in the process (albeit revealing a disappointing amount of accumulated litter!) .

SUSTRANs say that they have received no communication from the owners of the land (believed to be a local building firm). The site falls within the boundaries of the Selby District Council.

  • Picnic area
  • Picnic litter!

After the snow may come the floods

Forecasters are saying that it will get warmer next week.

With the thaw will come rain and concerns about flooding.

The worse floods in York have usually occurred when the ground has been saturated, where there has also been rapid snow melt upstream and when this has coincided with heavy rain.

We hope this doesn’t happen next week.

Meanwhile we have had some rare winter views to enjoy in and around the City over the last few days.

Quiet in York

Very quiet Friday in York City centre yesterday.

Despite marketing efforts like the “Made in Yorkshire” market, it seems that most residents are sticking closer to home at present.

The York Council has made cheaper car parking offers available but has so far not said what the take up rate has been..

“Made in Yorkshire” market on Parliament Street
Quiet on Parliament Street on Friday
Coney Street
Clock refuses to move on from 12:00 o’clock

More leisure time for some, comes when a walk or cycle ride in the country can be rewarding.

Autumn colours and cycle track near Naburn
Ouse near Naburn

Latest on missed bin emptying

Latest waste service update Monday 8 June
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We were unable to collect household waste from Railway View and Moor Grove in Dringhouses due to blocked access.

We were unable to collect recycling waste from areas of Fulford and Hull Road due to vehicle breakdowns.

We’ll attempt to collect all this waste on Tuesday 9 June. Please present your containers for collection by 7.00am.

We’ve been unable to collect garden waste from areas of Fulford, Naburn, Hull Road and Bishopthorpe.

We’ll attempt to collect missed garden waste from Bishopthorpe on Tuesday 9 June, and the rest on the evening of Monday 8 June, but may not be able to revisit until later in the week. Please leave your green bin out and we’ll get to you as soon as we can.

Fundraising needed for repairs to uneven cycle track.

UPDATE – Just as we published we got the following response from SUSTRANs

Yes, we are aware of the problem with this path either side of the York / Selby boundary and at time of heightened usage of all of our traffic-free routes around York due to the coronavirus lockdown.

We’ve done some initial estimating of cost for the whole section that needs resurfacing, which comes to £446,000 approx. – a sum that Sustrans on its own cannot afford as I’m pleased to see you recognise

However, Selby DC (copied in) also have this on their radar and have indicated a strong willingness to work with ourselves and City of York to find the necessary funding.

I’m in discussion with land management / estates colleagues within Sustrans to identify how much we may be able to contribute, and therefore how much is needed from LA partners / other funding sources.

The fact you’ve now raised this with relevant City of York councillor’s is very helpful. We’ll continue to bring all parties together to come up a with funding package that can deliver the necessary improvement as soon as possible.

We’ve suggested to SUSTRANs that they launch a crowd funding appeal to raise money for resurfacing parts of the York – Selby cycle path.  

The path is very uneven in places as a result of tree root damage. At one location, the roots have now broken through the bitmac surfacing increasing the hazards for cyclists and walkers.

Roots are now breaking through cycle track

SUSTRANS describe themselves as the custodians of the national cycle network. It is possible to make a donation towards their work via their web page but we think that a more focused campaign is needed if the York cycle path is to be properly funded.

The path has been heavily used during the health crisis with large number taking the opportunity to take some exercise in what is a relatively safe space. Many young children are getting their first taste of cycling on the track. It is the latter group for whom the surface represents a particular hazard.

SUSTRANs have yet to respond but we have had a prompt reply from Cllr John Galvin who represents that Bishopthorpe ward, in which part of the track is located. He has pledged his support for the appeal.

Any work would need to incorporate the use of root shields to ensure that any new surface continues to be useable for the foreseeable future.

Uneven path surfaces deter use

Many of the problems occur in the section between Naburn and Riccall. We hope that the Government and local Councils will back the SUSTRANs charity if they launch a crowdfunding appeal.

Hopefully some donations will come from the hundreds of new users who are currently enjoying the facility.

NB. It appears that no application was made for support from the York Council’s £500,000 cycling budget which was delegated to be spent by local ward Councillors.

5G masts in York

Applications are starting to come in for new mobile phone masts in parts of York. They will support the new 5G network that is being rolled out.

We understand that many will involve the upgrade of existing equipment.

Only one case has so far been referred to the planning committee. It concerns a proposed mast to be located in Naburn Lane.

The application seeks permission for the replacement of an existing 11.7m high monopole telecommunications mast with a 20m high tower and associated cabinets.

The site is in the Green Belt. Officials are recommending approval at a meeting next week.

The application does, however, raise the broader issue of how many new masts may be required in the York area and crucially how high they might be.

Last year the government threatened to remove Councils powers to vet applications. They hoped that this would speed up the process of rolling out the new network

While the new masts could be twice as high as those provided for 4G coverage, the main impact is likely to be on rural areas.

At present little information has been made available to York residents. All we have are national  background briefings.

A BBC article last year reacted to forecasts of hundreds of new masts being required.

We think that the Council should tell residents what to expect, where and when as the 5G revolution gathers pace

River levels begin to drop in York – backlog of refuse collection work

The level of the river Ouse is now falling. It is expected to remain above normal levels for several days although riverside paths should reopen in a day or two.
Not surprisingly the Council has been unable to collect refuse from areas affected by flooding. Areas affected include Naburn, Acaster Malbis and Skeldergate.