Traffic congestion update – Essential resurfacing works on Askham Fields Lane roundabout tonight and tomorrow

click on image for latest position

click on image for latest position

Traffic congestion is increasing on the inner ring road as the Friday evening peak approaches. Click map for up to date information

The City of York Council will carry out essential resurfacing works on the roundabout on Askham Fields Lane from Friday (30 August).

The works are programmed to take two nights in total to complete, working Friday and Saturday nights between the hours of 10pm and 5am.

To carry out the works safely, a road closure will be in place and there will be a signed diversion route in operation for local and through traffic.

Pedestrian access will be available at all times. Cyclists will have to dismount and use the footways when travelling through the affected areas.

Bus services will be diverted whilst the works are ongoing. Please contact Bus Info on 01904 551400 for the revised arrangements.

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

Traffic congestion in York

Congestion map 1300 hours Tuesday 27th August 2013. Click to update

Congestion map 1300 hours Tuesday 27th August 2013. Click to update


There is more traffic congestion in York today. This is partly blamed on the closure of Lendal Bridge but also on the temporary closure of Green Dykes Lane.

Hull Road, Paragon Street and Tower Street are particularly busy.

Buses using Hull Road are subject to delay.

Click on map for latest update.

Lendal Bridge closure in York from tomorrow (Tuesday) – what to expect

The Lendal bridge “trial” closure starts tomorrow (Tuesday 27th August) between 10:30am – 5:00pm.

What should drivers expect?

Actually, probably not much difference to congestion levels.

The schools are still on holiday and that makes a lot of difference to traffic volumes. So there will be spare capacity on most of the road network during the day.

True, for some, journeys will be longer, with people living in the City centre particularly inconvenienced.

But the forecast gridlock is still probably some weeks away.

For a couple of weeks, it is likely that motorists will shun the City centre, putting off inessential journeys or opting for out of town shopping destinations

What could make matters worse are unpredictable road accidents, poor weather (which tends to see more people getting into their cars), road works and yet more faulty traffic lights (of which, we’ve had more than our fair share over recent weeks).

Weekend traffic patterns are very different though. Many will be watching with anxiety what happens on 31st August.

Council Lendal Bridge "success" criteria base data. click to enlarge

Council Lendal Bridge “success” criteria base data. click to enlarge

Now only a few days before the restrictions are due to be implemented, the Council has published the criteria under which it will judge how successful the closure has been.

It is clearly an afterthought.

We questioned on 27th April why no success criteria had been published.

It slowly became clear that the Council had not even thought of what objective measures it should apply.

Now some “tests” have been cobbled together without any public consultation and too late to get some of the base line public opinion data.

The Council claims to be open but they have failed to publish the public opinion data on the trial which was apparently collected “between 15th and 20th August”.

They do admit, “However the feedback collected at the information event approximately 60% (of 73 written responses) thought the bridge trial would impact them negatively and 34% though the bridge trial would impact on them beneficially”

It also looks like they will only be taking into account the views of people actually using the transport systems rather than including those who choose not to access the City centre.

Ironically the Council promise to publish the results on their web site including bus service reliability (a “stat” that they have dogmatically refused to reveal during the last 2 years).

They say that they won’t be measuring changes to air quality (Gillygate is a critical area).

They admit that any changes in cycle use and walking could be influenced by other initiatives (and the weather).

The criteria haven’t been approved at a formal Council meeting. There has been no public input into the measures chosen. There has been no opportunity to challenge the validity of the base data.

We suggest that residents keep an eye on independent real time traffic congestion maps (click here http://roadworks.org/) .

York road works map click to update

York road works map click to update

Problems will arise in the autumn when a combination of poor weather, the return of the “school run” and continuing road works on the A1237 could produce a “perfect storm” test for the closure

NB. There is little point in looking to the councils travel web site for help. Several months after a new control centre was opened, traffic monitoring cameras are still not working http://www.yorklive.info/

Huntsman’s Walk footpath petition

Petition being considered on Tuesday

Petition being considered on Tuesday

A petition collected last year, which asks for the footpaths in Huntsman’s Walk to be resurfaced, will be considered by the York Council on Tuesday

The petition was organised – by Westfield Liberal Democrats – following a rapid deterioration in the condition of the footpath

The officer report confirms that the path between Tedder Road and Foxwood Lane is in poor condition. It was, however, ranked as only the 96th priority for resurfacing this year.

The petition has now raised the priority of the path to 61st on the waiting list.

The cost of resurfacing the footpath is put at £48,750.

It is likely that the Labour Councillor, who will decide whether to approve the resurfacing, will decide not to give the path a higher priority. It therefore may, or may not, be done next year.

NB. The budget for highway maintenance works was halved when Labour took office at the Guildhall in 2011.

A massive backlog of highways maintenance work is building up.

However Labour have found £600,000 to pay for the introduction of a 20 mph speed limit in west York!