That was the week that was in photos

Good to see some patching work on the Herman Walk carriageway. Like the roads in the rest of the area a lot more work is needed if they are to be brought up to an acceptable standard.
Disappointing to see the safety barriers disassembled on Chesneys Field. They were put there to stop children using the play equipment at the height of the Coronavirus crisis. The Council now needs to decide whether it is going to continue to try to stop the equipment – which is not fenced off normally – being used or simply remove the equipment. Perhaps a reminder sign about hygiene could be put up?
Two shopping trolleys have made a break for freedom. One was last seen on Gale Lane while a second had made it as far as Cornlands Road. Both have been reported
& the wetter weather has seen weeds growing more quickly in gutters. We’ve reported those in The Reeves. We are about due to see the next round of weed treatment

Children’s playgrounds – does policy need to be reviewed?

The York Council took steps to secure playgrounds when the health crisis deepened in March.

Where playgrounds couldn’t be secured, some a attempt was made to surround equipment with barriers.

The intention was to stop transmission of the COVID virus through contact with the equipment. Similar campaigns were initiated on street gym equipment while the “wash your hands” message was continually reinforced.

After nearly 4 months, and with some children now returning to school, perhaps not surprisingly the lure of taking a turn on the play equipment is proving too be strong for some.

Children were playing on the climbing frame and on the zip wire on Foxwood Lane yesterday.

The Council needs to review its policies and – if appropriate – make additional efforts to discourage use of communal play equipment.

Barriers down and children playing on equipment in Foxwood
We’ve reported weeds growing out from a planter in the Front Street pedestrian area.
Also reported dumping on the Chesney Field snicket

Fly tipping, weed control contract under scrutiny again

We had hoped that work on keeping paths and hard surfaced areas free of weed growth would be more successful than last year.

Despite treatment starting over a month ago it does look like several areas have again been missed off the programme.

Local residents have treated parts of some problem areas to test how long proprietary weedkillers take to clear undergrowth off paths and forecourts.

If the treatment is successful then there will be some serious questions for the Council to answer about their performance.

Weeds on Kingsway garage area
Kingsway garage area
Hotham Avenue weeds
Residents have started to clear the weeds from round the trees near Herman Walk. Three of the trees ate dead and we hope to see them replaced in the autumn
Playgrounds still closed because of the health crisis. We hope that the Council will have repaired the equipment before the Chesney Field area is brought back into use
Still some dumping around. We’ve reported this trolley which was left in the Chapelfields area
We’ve also reported rubbish left on Askham Lane (rural)

Big pothole on A64 near North Lane junction reported

It isn’t just the York Council that is struggling to keep on top of the pothole problem. A large pothole has opened up on the eastbound carriageway of the A64 trunk road near its junction with North Lane.

This has been reported to the Highways Agency via the useful “Fix My Street” web site https://www.fixmystreet.com/

Meanwhile we have been able to report some other issues via local Councillors

  • Missing play equipment on Chesney’s Field
  • Damaged fencing in the same area

Catching up with maintenance work

We’ve been out and about checking on public service standards in west York in the wake of the recent storms. These are some of this weeks reports

  • Road repairs needed on Huntsmans Walk
  • Verges damaged in Thoresby Road
  • Broken play equipment
  • Uneven path in St Stephens Road
  • Dumping on St Josephs Court – Cornlands Rd snicket
  • Dumping next to Cornlands Park

The Council have promised a thorough review of the snickets in the area. The residents association is currently conducting an audit of standards. In several there are problems with worn paths, weeds, litter, dumping and damaged boundary fencing. During the summer months, anti social behaviour is an issue in some while other s are obstructed by trees and hedges.

Hopefully these issues will all be addressed later it the year.