Askham Fields Lane being resurfaced next week

City of York Council will be carrying out essential resurfacing works on Askham Fields Lane, Askham Bryan from Monday 23 May.

The work is expected to take up to 5 days to complete, weather permitting. Work will take place between 9.30am – 4pm.

In order to carry out these works safely, a temporary road closure of Askham Fields Lane will be in place. Residents are advised there will be no access or egress for vehicles during working hours except in emergencies.

There will be no on-street parking during these times. Residents who require vehicular access are asked to inform operatives onsite to ensure safety. Vehicular access will only be allowed if it is safe to do so. Pedestrian access will be available at all times.

As with any construction work, there is likely to be a certain amount of disruption. Residents are assured that everything reasonably possible will be done to keep this to a minimum, however motorists should expect some delays and plan their journey accordingly.

The contractor carrying out the work is Specialist Surfacing who will be responsible for safety.

For more information on travelling in and around York visit www.itravelyork.info

Kingsway West road surfaced

We reported the hammerhead in Kingsway West as being in need of resurfacing a couple of weeks ago using Fix My Street.

Good to report that some repairs have now been undertaken, although the whole of the hammerhead needs attention.

Andrew Waller says Council must act on poor road surfaces

The number of complaints about poor road and footpath surfaces is increasing.

The Council has cut a further £300,000 off its resurfacing budget this year, so the only hope for significant improvement would be for a change in political control of the York Council on May 7th.

As we reported 3 years ago one of Labours first acts when taking office locally was to slash the highways maintenance budget.

Meanwhile Westfield Councillor Andrew Waller has called for early attention to road surfaces, like these in Acomb, which are becoming unsafe.

York potholes being filled in

The Councils pothole team are currently operating in the Westfield area.

We hope that they will fill in the many potholes that have developed over the last couple of years.

It is important that residents continue to report issues as they arise.

A damaged road surface is more vulnerable to frost damage and would cost much more to resurface in the long term

The work forms part of a £300,000 pothole programme funded by the Coalition government.

It is separate from the resurfacing programme which takes longer to complete each year. This is the programme which was drastically cut by Labour when they took office.

The resurfacing programme has so far reached Huntsman’s Walk where the footpaths have now been repaired.

Road repairs

Vesper Drive and York Road

York oad work

The annual safety inspection of Vesper Drive was carried out yesterday. Temporary repairs will be carried to maintain the carriageway safe for the public to use until the full resurfacing scheme is completed later this financial year

Meanwhile work continues to move the Controller (new location) for the pedestrian crossing on York Road/Manor Drive.

The controller box is being moved to a more suitable location away from vehicle’s accidentally reversing into it

Potholes blight York roads

Despite a relatively mild winter, the number of potholes appearing on local roads continues to increase.

In the main this is a result of major cuts to maintenance investment implemented by the new Labour administration when they took office in 2011.

City of York Council		Road repairs expenditure
Year	Pothole reports	Resurfacing	Basic maintenance	Total
2012/13	2492	£1,570,000	£616,700	£2,186,700
2011/12	1566	£2,134,000	£877,200	£3,011,200
2010/11	2860	£1,706,000	£1,008,000	£2,714,000
2009/10	966	£1,604,000	£1,096,000	£2,700,000

The York Council will in 2014/15 return to its pre 2011 levels of investment, but for many roads the change will come too late. A poorly maintained highway costs much more to repair than one that has had some routine maintenance.

Potholes on Askham Lane

Pothole on Beagle Ridge Drive

We believe that the Council should use the £1.3 million, that it has raised by fining drivers on Lendal and Coppergate, on dealing with the repairs backlog.