The Council are carrying out evening resurfacing works on Acomb Green, from Mon 26 July 7.30pm -12am (3 nights). As with any construction work, there’s likely to be some disruption. https://york.gov.uk/roadworks
We understand that the uneven road surface on Askham Lane, near its junction with the A1237 roundabout, will be resurfaced overnight on the 2nd and 3rd of June.
Long overdue but very welcome nevertheless.
Work on replacing gas mains on Blossom Street and next to Micklegate Bar were completed 2 weeks ago it has emerged today.
Micklegate Bar was due to reopen to traffic today and the two lane closures on Blossom Street were also due to end.
Sources at Gas Networks are now suggesting that the closures could remain in place for another 3 weeks as the York Council is apparently struggling to coordinate carriageway resurfacing works.
An expected closure for further gas main replacement works on St Helens Road was due to start today, necessitating a bus route diversion. There is no sign of such a closure which was originally scheduled to start two weeks ago.
No updates have been issued on social media by either the Council or Gas Networks.
The Council has not issued any information to the media and both the road closure list and map showing current roadworks have not been updated.
The road network is expected to become gradually busier as the lockdown restrictions are eased. The restricted lane widths on Blossom Street represent a particular hazard for cyclists.
Wetherby Road will be closed to allow resurfacing work to take place on the evening of the 8th March 2021.
The Council have been working on removing a traffic island located near to the junction with The Green
City of York Council will be carrying out essential roadworks on key roads in York including, Cornlands Road, Bad Bargain Lane and Gale Lane, throughout October and November.
The council has worked with trade unions and its supply chain to enable the authority to develop new ways of working during the pandemic. This has ensured works on the highway can happen in a safe way for front line operatives and the public.
The contractor has permission from the local authority to undertake this essential work at this time.
For more info about current roadworks in York visit www.york.gov.uk/roadworks
The Council says that the following works are being undertaken:
Gale Lane
We will be carrying out road maintenance works at Gale Lane from 2 November for 5 days, weather permitting. Work will be carried out between 9am – 5pm working Monday to Friday only.
In order to carry out the work safely, the use of a full road closure from, but not including, the mini roundabout at Thanet Road up to the junction of St Stephens Road will be necessary whilst works are taking place.
We will also be carrying out kerbing and drainage works on 29th October for a period of 2 days working 9am – 4pm. These works will be carried out under local traffic management, will not affect access and the road will be open as normal. Parking will be suspended in sections to enable us to carry out the works.
All on-street parking will be suspended during the hours of the works for the full duration, but specific access requirements can be arranged by speaking to the site Traffic Management Operatives, who will coordinate with residents (and business requirements) around the ongoing work operations.
Cornlands Road
We will be carrying out road maintenance works at Cornlands Road from 26 October 2020 for a period of 3 days (weather permitting). The works will be carried out between 9am – 5pm.
In order to carry out the work safely, the use of a full road closure from, but not including, the mini roundabout at Gale Lane up to the junction of St Stephen’s Road will be necessary whilst works are taking place.
All on-street parking will be suspended during the hours of the works for the full duration, but specific access requirements can be arranged by speaking to the site Traffic Management Operatives, who will coordinate with residents (and business requirements) around the ongoing work operations.
Bad Bargain Lane
We will be carrying out road maintenance works at Bad Bargain Lane from 26 October. Work is expected to take 5 days, weather permitting. Work will be carried out between 9am – 5pm working Monday to Friday only. In order to carry out the work safely, the use of a full road closure from, but not including, the junction of Meadlands up to, and including, the junction of Burnholme Grove will be necessary whilst works are taking place.
All on-street parking will be suspended during the hours of the works for the full duration, but specific access requirements can be arranged by speaking to the site traffic management operatives, who will coordinate with residents and business requirements around the ongoing work operations.
Bus Service 11 will be diverted via East Parade straight on to Heworth Village, Hempland Lane, Stockton Lane, Algarth Rd and Ashley Park Rd.
We will also be carrying out kerbing and drainage works on 19 October for a period of 5 days working 9am – 4pm Monday to Friday only. These works will be carried out under local traffic management, will not affect access and the road will be open as normal. Parking will be suspended in sections to enable us to carry out the works.
After the shambles of the Bishopthorpe Road closure and before it the Lendal Bridge fiasco, you might have expected that proposed major changes to the road network in York would have been handled with caution by the Council.
It appears not judging by the reaction to the road closures in The Groves yesterday. Activists even took to removing some of the physical barriers (planters) while a Press headline pronounced a (slightly exaggerated) “Gridlock” on Lord Mayors Walk..
If gridlock is to become a reality, then it is likely to be in wet weather following a return to school and the reopening of city centre offices. It is then that the emergency services together with public transport, utilities and delivery drivers will face their greatest challenge.
Unfortunately, without the consent of residents, changes like this will always result in confrontation.
Executive Cllr Andy D’Agorne approved a plan to limit traffic in the Groves area at a meeting held on 24th October 2019. The plan was supported by the two Labour Councillors and one Green who represent The Groves area.
Later Green Party supporters were to try to blame the LibDems for the plan using an “only following orders” from the coalition defence. In truth, the LibDem leadership stood aloof from the issue and chose to watch on while the drama unfolded. The Tories as usual were late into the game, waiting to see how the wind blew before acquiring retrospective wisdom. The timetables attached to the Tory government transport grant offer helped to provoke the stumble.
We believe that Andy D’Agorn is a sincere man who holds passionate, albeit uncompromising, beliefs. He deserves respect for standing up for his views in a very public way. However such drive needs to be tempered with humility and a willingness to take a step back.
A decision was made by Cllr D’Agone on 22nd June 2020 to restyle the proposals as a reaction to the COVID crisis. Ostensibly he wanted a slice of the governments sustainable transport grant. Significant changes were made to the original proposals although there was no further consultation.
There was no poll which could have offered all affected residents, whether they lived in the Groves or elsewhere in the City, the opportunity to support the new plans or opt to retain the status quo.
A change of this scale should have been publicised by delivering a leaflet to every home at least in east York. It was not. Publicity relied heavily on social media.
The Variable Message Signs on York streets referred to changes in The Groves, repeating the Lendal bridge failing. Many motorists do not actually know the names of the bridges, streets and neighbourhoods that they might be driving over or through.
“On street” signage was woeful – possibly the consequence of the rushed implementation.
Sat Nav systems still direct drivers into what are now dead-end streets. A nightmare for the growing number of delivery drivers who have filled the supply void since the pandemic.
So what can be done? It is true that things will “settle down”. Police action could force drivers onto alternative routes like the already congested Clarence Street.
If “through traffic” is to be excluded from The Groves, then a gate or rising bollard could be introduced on Penley’s Grove Street and Lowther Street. This would allow selective vehicle access for local residents together with emergency vehicles, utilities, deliveries etc. It might be a costly system with reliability an issue but it would remove some unnecessary journey’s, and the pollution which they would generate, from neighbouring roads.
There does need to be an attempt to find a consensus solution, which could attract wide support in the City, before any more impulsive decisions are made.
However no formal notification of any meeting being held, to endorse the change, has appeared on the Councils register of decisions.
No notice of any decision meeting was published by the Council.
The original decision to close one lane appeared to be based on a whim. It sprang from a request by a Micklegate ward Labour Councillor (Kilbane) but was quickly adopted by the Councils transport executive Councillor (Andy D’Agorne). There was no public consultation before implementation.
The reversal of the decision fails to acknowledge the harm and resentment felt by significant sections of the community about the ill judged scheme.
The scheme has been compared to the closure of Lendal Bridge where a intransigent Council persisted with a failed experiment for nearly two years before admitting defeat. It put the cause of traffic reduction back by 10 years. We hope that the iconic “Bishy Road” shopping area doesn’t suffer a similar setback.
The main criticisms of the scheme were that, contrary to claims, it did little to assist with social distancing. Indeed in places, bollards actually increased pedestrian congestion.
Cyclists were put at risk when using the contraflow cycle lane while those living in the St Benedict Road area had to cope with increased short cutting and consequent higher pollution levels.
Against expectations, in June the scheme was extended for another 2 months
Even many who acknowledged that traffic reduction was desirable, pointed out that an (off peak) foot street option might have won greater public support.
We said, right from the beginning, that diverting traffic onto Nunnery Lane and Blossom Street, when the latter was partly closed for utility works, was completely half baked.
So it proved.
It seems that gas works will return on the Blossom Street area shortly.
That, coupled with other road closures in the city, really would have caused traffic chaos at a time when the economy is slowly getting back onto its feet.
The Councils change of heart is welcome, albeit belated. We next hope to see changes to remove some of the unnecessary restrictions on space use in the Marygate car park and on the Monk Bar car park.
Local shopping streets like Foxwood Lane/Beagle Ridge Drive mostly continued trading through the lock-down. All but the hairdressers are open. No problems with parking today and a few shoppers around at lunchtime
Acomb is York’s second largest shopping area. Its focal store (Morrisons) has remained open throughout the pandemic and has undertaken an increased number of home deliveries
Bishopthorpe Road has established a reputation for itself as a bijou shopping destination with good quality independents predominating. It became mired in controversy a few weeks ago when local Councillors campaigned successfully for the road to be closed to southbound vehicles. It is unclear how this has affected trade but the area was generally quiet today at lunchtime. Road works start on nearby Nunnery Lane this evening. Most shops are open. There was limited space in the dedicated car park
We’ll take a separate look at how the first day of the city centre shopping arrangements have gone.
Yorkshrie Water works in te area mean that there ae two separate raod clsures within a few hundered metres on each other today.
