Call for Chapelfields clean up

Seems that weed growth is getting out of hand again this summer in the Chapelfields estate. We’ve asked for better street cleaning in the estate.

*Too many of the drainage channels near the traffic buildouts are blocked with detritus and weeds*

*Some of the cul de sacs and garage areas on the estate need to be hand-swept*

*Several problem areas don’t appear to have had their first application of weed killer yet.*

Meanwhile mystery still surrounds the future of the Sanderson House community centre on Bramham Road. The running of the centre was taken over by the Council last year but there is little evidence that activities with a wide appeal will restart there anytime soon.

If any estate would benefit from an active residents association then it is surely Chapelfields. We hope the authorities will provide the necessary support to make this a reality again.

Some streets cleaner

Good to see that progress has been made in clearing moss and detritus from the Grange Lane – Chapelfields Road snicket. Nearby hydrants sign – damaged 2 years ago – has still not been repaired

and the lane to the rear of the Front Street/ Beaconsfield Street is tidier than it has been for some time

Issues reported in west York

It looks like many highways defects have been left waiting for attention for so long that expensive remedial works are now needed.

Many carriageways which needed patching in the summer and autumn were ignored. Now some are worn down to the hardcore base while others have multiple surface defects. Several represent a hazard for two wheeled transport users.

We have reported the following streets (but these may just be the tip of the iceberg).

Walker Drive
Vincent Way
Gladstone Street
Hotham Avenue
Lowfields Drive
School Street

There are also some problems also with leaf and tree detritus. We’ve reported two areas

Green Lane
Kingsthorpe

Finally builders waste has been dumped in the little Green Lane garage area. We’ve asked for it to be removed.

*Little Green Lane garage area 19th Feb 2021*

That was the week that was in west York in pictures

Several suburban shopping streets need a tidy up. We asked for bins at Foxwood to be emptied but the Council now needs to provide more support for businesses that “soldiered on” during lock-down providing lifeline services for some.

Still too much graffiti on utility boxes in the area. Two more reported in the Dijon Avenue area this week

Rain and wind have brought detritus down blocking some drainage channels. We’ve asked for those in Kingsthorpe to be swept.

The footpath at the high numbered end of Tudor Road has been levelled. It had been damaged by tree roots. We expect that the problem will reoccur

However the nearby footpath on Tudor Road is still blocked by overrunning Yorkshire Water works

A major problem across the whole of the City are rapidly growing weeds. The Councils contractors have been seen out spraying but they will have been hampered by wet weather.

As a result many back lanes, footpaths, snickets and cycle paths are now obstructed.

This can be a hazard particularly for the partially sighted.

Hopefully residents, who see an issue near their home or business, will deal with it themselves.

Weed growth and other issues can be reported 24/7 via the Council web site ” click “Report it”

That was the week that was in photos

Unusual to see full bottles dumped next to the bottle bank at Acomb Car park!

Sadly still some dumping next to the bins. it has been suggested that the larger amenity sites like Hazel Court should reopen to residents. They have remained open for the disposal of trade waste. With green and bulky waste collection suspended, this would make sense provided social distancing can be maintained. We think that use levels could be controlled if specific days were allocated to individual neighbourhoods – possibly using a colour codes system. Real time “on line” monitoring of queue lengths – also suggested for supermarkets – would also help.

We’ve reported the full litter bin (and dumping) at the Acomb Car park

On the other side of the City, local Councillor Mark Warters has brokered an agreement with B & Q (which has now re-opened) aimed at avoiding HGVs blocking the access road. They will in future move straight into the delivery yard.

Elsewhere the recent mix of rain and sunshine has resulted in a rapid growth in weeds and hedges. Some are now blocking paths

Snicket still accessible on Wetherby Road but has been a problem in the past

Nettle growth at the entrance to the Westfield park has caused problems in the past. It should be on the new weed control programme but there is no evidence of “die back”

Nettles can also be a hazard when they reduce the width of public footpaths

We’ve asked for detritus to be swept from the Chesney Field snicket …..

& from the drainage gulleys in The Green area

An accumulation of litter on this snicket in Foxwood. Generally, though, the estate has been much cleaner recently.

The section of Gale Lane from St Stephens Road to Foxwood Lane which will be resurfaced this year.

Unfortunately there are many potholed carriageways which don’t appear in the Councils programme. This one is in Foxwood.

….and still no action to repair the poor road surface on Lowfields Drive

Uneven footpaths in Chapelfields have also not made it into the Councils repair programme

There was some hope that the budget delegated to wards specifically for improvements for pedestrians would lead to hard core being put down on part of the Grange Lane park access path. No programme of work has been published by the Council although the funding has been available for nearly a year now.

Damaged fence on Lowfields Drive reported

Finally we hope that the local Councillors will get round to publishing a neighbourhood list of takeaways which are continuing to provide a delivery service for the local community. Many have gone to great lengths to observe “social distancing” guidelines. We need these local businesses to survive the current lock-down difficulties. They deserve the support of the Council and local residents. At the very least the Council should maintain an up to date list of the food delivery services available within each local community. The list should be publicised on local noticeboards and on social media. Ideally it should be included on a leaflet delivered to each home. (The leaflet that the Council recently delivered only included about 20% of the suppliers still operating in the Acomb/Foxwood/Woodthorpe area).
We are compiling our own list which we hope to publish here next week.

Council asked to take action

Car parking sign at Foxwood Lane bus shelter has disappeared

We’ve reported detritus build up on the highway in Osprey Close. The footpath link to Acomb Moor is now just about passable now although we’ve asked for some hardcore to be put down.

Definitely “Wellingtons” needed if you plan to use the footpath link to Acomb Moor. This can be improved when the right of way is formally recognised. Ward Councillors have promised to follow this up

Not sure that this advertising signs are authorised

Issues reported in west York today

Verges need tidying up and damaged equipment replaced.

Another one for the new graffiti removal team

Acomb Moor damaged stile still not repaired. We understand that local Councillors are dealing

Progress on unearthing traffic islands

We reported earlier in the summer that several traffic island had become overgrown. This was partly due to an accumulation of silt. It appears that the islands were not being hand-swept.

The Council is now beginning to catch up with a programme aimed at clearing the islands of detritus. Those on Foxwood Lane, for example, are now looking tidy.

A more structured approach to street cleansing is needed though as some islands, including those on the A1237, are not being routinely cleansed

Street cleansing standards on the Chapelfields estate do vary a lot.

Elsewhere the Foxwood Residents Association is set to discuss street cleansing standards in their neighbourhood at their monthly meeting which is being held tomorrow. Residents have questioned whether the sweeping frequencies, promised by the Council on its web site, are actually being undertaken.

Maps showing how often individual streets should be manually or mechanically cleansed are published on the Councils web site.

Not just west York suffering from neglect

Residents from the Huntington and Heworth areas have added their voices to the criticisms of the Council’s performance in keeping local streets clean and tidy. Although, like Woodthorpe on the west of the City, some streets in Huntington appear to have been well swept, they are outnumbered by those where even basic weed clearance has not taken place this summer.

One again it is the main entry roads into the City which are most neglected. It presents a poor image for visitors

Weeds block gutters and paths on Malton Road

Paved area on Huntington Road near Bell Farm has not been sprayed

Weeds engulfing street furniture on Jockey Lane

A blocked gully on Heworth Green. These need to be cleared before wetter weather arrives with winter.

Long term build up of detritus around traffic island build outs on Malton Road

Litter, litter everywhere

Rowntree Housing (JRHT) have agreed to organise a clean up of the play area on Teal Drive on Friday. The area – like many public open spaces during the current period of hot weather – has suffered badly from litter. Residents also plan a follow up over the weekend

Teal Drive playground with litter

Tedder Road park litter

Thoresby Road snicket

The Reeves snicket

Tithe Close snicket