York camera van parking enforcement details published

camera van

The York Council has now published details of where the controversial “spy camera” van has been operating.

The van has generated 473 fixed penalty notices. Of these most (249) have been paid at the £35 prompt payment rate.

222 are outstanding with 65 subject to appeals.

A day by day list of the locations visited by the camera van can be downloaded by clicking here

The total number of parking tickets issued by the York Council increased during the last (financial) year

  • 2010/11 – 20,262
  • 2011/12 – 16,510
  • 2012/13 – 14,010
  • 2013/14 – 17,232

The value of the fines income generated also increased, as did enforcement costs

  • 2010/11 £581,444
  • 2011/12 £465,902
  • 2012/13 £414,294
  • 2013/14 £485,758 (2137 outstanding tickets)

Cost of enforcement

  • 2010/11 £818,977
  • 2011/12 £716,113
  • 2012/13 £665,207
  • 2013/14 £750,750

The number of tickets successfully appealed was:

  • 2010/11 – 4074
  • 2011/12 – 3655
  • 2012/13 – 3074
  • 2013/14 – 3490

 

Parking lay-by request on Askham Lane

 

Askham Lane potential parking layby

Tenants living in flats at the high numbered end of Askham Lane have requested the Council to provide a parking lay-by on the wide verge outside their homes.

An increasing number of vehicles have been parking on the verge itself recently.

These have damaged the verge and potentially are a source of danger to pedestrians.

The scheme will have to be consulted on through the next estate improvements ballot.

 

Cornlands Estates – residents rally behind “tidy up” campaign

The campaign to have the Thoresby, St Stephens, Cornlands and Tennent Road estate given a “make over” has gained substantial support from residents.

The main areas for improvement so far identified include:

Gulleys need clearing

Gulleys need clearing

Gates and fences need repairing

Gates and fences need repairing

Garage areas need cleaning and resurfacing

Garage areas need cleaning and resurfacing

Snickets need resurfacing

Snickets need resurfacing

Pathways blocked

Pathways blocked

Vandalism at parks

Vandalism at parks

Dumping on snickets

Dumping on snickets

Damaged verges

Damaged verges

1. Repairs to verges and protective posts (or selective bitmacing)

2. Verge trimming

3. More car parking.

4. Weed removal.

5. Repairs to gates and fencing.

6. Snicket and other resurfacing

7. Gulley cleaning

8. A major spring clean of communal areas, garages, snickets, forecourts including painting street furniture, replacing notices etc etc.

9. Trees/hedges cutting back from paths and boundaries.

Housing is the one area where there haven’t been any cuts.

Over £13 million is held by the Council in reserves(!)

Yet this decline happens?

More off road car parking needed

More off road car parking needed

Scrapping Minster badge “would threaten evening economy”

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The Labour leadership have been asked to clarify their policy on evening charges following their decision on Thursday to scrap resident’s car parking discounts.

As well as providing a reduced fee during the day, the Minster badge entitles residents to park for free at City centre car parks after 6:00pm.

Those without badges are charged £2.

The Minster badge is being replaced by a “frequent user” card but this will cost £20 and will be available to anyone.

The Council have also been criticised for not extending the discounts available to small/low emission vehicles in the City.

“Big Brother” fears as more invisible policemen set to come to York?

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ANPR camera use to be extended

The Council has announced that it will use camera cars to enforce zig zag parking restrictions outside schools.

This is likely to be of limited value at some schools where some parents park on yellow lines, verges and block access driveways.

Use of such camera cars has been controversial in other towns and cities but  the vehicle may give some comfort to schools and their immediate neighbours.

Ironically the DfT is just completing its public consultation on car parking. One of the options being considered is to limit the use of CCTV cameras near schools!

More significantly in York, Labour Councillors are now proposing to extend the use of number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras in the City.

ANPR cameras have been responsible for identifying over 50,000 drivers on Coppergate and Lendal Bridge, with fines totalling around £1 million already issued.

Clearly this potential cash cow has proved to be attractive to the Council.

It will decide later today to introduce camera enforcement of more bus lanes later this year with a target income of £50,000.

It is also budgeting to receive an additional £100,000 in 2015 from the  “Further introduction of ANPR enforcement measures across the City where network congestion can be improved”.

The budget papers published by the Council make no mention of how much revenue they except to raise from the continued use of the Coppergate (or Lendal Bridge) cameras during the next financial year.

Car parking chaos hits York City centre

As the sales get into full swing, angry motorists are demanding to know why York has stopped providing car parking space availability information?

Click to access "live" parking and travel information

Click to access “live” parking and travel information

Until 2011, anyone could access the Councils web site and see how many spaces were unoccupied at each car park.

That information has now disappeared although other Councils still provide the service.

The information isn’t even provided for York’s showcase Park and Ride sites

Today car parks like Castle were full but the Council’s travel service hasn’t bothered to use its “twitter” feed to update potential users.

Signs on the approach roads to the City centre, which indicate space availability, are also unreliable, so many motorists are driving round and round looking for spaces.

This increases pollution and congestion on City centre roads.

Sadly it is another example of new technology providing information that is less useful than what was available a decade ago.

More disabled parking spaces in York’s car parks

City of York Council is increasing the amount of disabled parking spaces in York’s city centre.

Blue badge holders are able to park free of charge anywhere in all council owned car parks, which provide a number of spaces that are wider and set aside specifically for use by blue badge holders only.

Work has now begun on expanding the number of disabled spaces in car parks in the city centre to try to better serve those who have restricted mobility.

The number of disabled spaces has increased in the following areas by:

  • · Castle car park- increased from six to 13 spaces
  • · Bootham Row car park – increased from two to nine spaces
  • · Monk Bar car park– increased from three to seven spaces
  • · Piccadilly car park– increased by five – which will see an increase in the number of spaces set aside for use at the shopmobility scheme

Groups and individuals can submit suggestions to be considered by emailing highway.regulation@york.gov.uk

£89,000 spent on Christmas lights but no Christmas tree collection in York this year

Anyone buying a Christmas tree this year faces a trip to the recycling centre in January.

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Alternatively the Council say you should “replant the tree in your garden”.

In previous years, Christmas trees have been collected from peoples homes when green bins were emptied. The Labour Council has, of course, scrapped the green bin collections, so we guess that some trees will end up dumped in hedgerows around the City.

Any trees which are returned to recycling centres will be turned into compost.

The Council has, however, found £89,000 during the last 2 years to spend on Christmas decorations in the City centre.

The decorations can be seen in Parliament Street, Davygate, Coney Street, St Helen’s Square, Stonegate and Micklegate.

Lamp post lighting is at Station Rise, Bridge Street, Lendal Bridge and Museum Street.

Mini Christmas trees are also installed in some of these streets as well as the Shambles and Goodramgate.

Traders in sub-urban locations have, however, lost out again.

Unlike previous years, the Council is not offering “free parking” on any day or evening in the run up to Christmas.

The Park & Ride service is operating without charge on Boxing Day from 3 sites.

Most of the Park and Ride buses operating yesterday evening – during the extended shopping period in the City Centre – were running empty.

More behind closed doors decisions made in York

The York Council has made several decisions about new parking restrictions in the Guildhall and Clifton wards. In summary they are:

Behind closed doors logo

Newborough Street

Approved the advertising of No Waiting at any Time Restrictions and identified space for a Car Club vehicle in Newborough Street (Clifton Ward). Click for more details

Gladstone Street/ Dennison Street

click for map

click for map

“No Waiting at any Time Restriction” on Gladstone Street and Dennison Street to prevent obstructive parking taking place on footways, as well as inconsiderate parking which blocks the entrance to the play area and private driveway access. .

The issue related to parking conflicts since new homes were built on the Minster Engineering site. The Council required only 1 parking space per property but this has proved to be inadequate with parking being forced onto pavements and neighbouring streets

Council agreed to overturn the objections made to a proposed amendment to the Traffic Regulation Order located within Guildhall Ward and implement restrictions as advertised. click for more details

2947 residents have blue badges in York

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

Nearly 3000 residents have been issued with “blue badges” in York.

The badges entitle the owner to park “on street” closer to amenities than otherwise would be the case.

The vast majority of the badges have been issued to those with walking disabilities or who receive DLA.

In addition there is a green badge scheme in operation for the severely disabled. This allows access to parking within the City centre.

The York Council controversially refused to exempt green badge holder’s from the Lendal Bridge access restrictions a couple of months ago.

Applications details can be found by clicking here