Cycle path still blocked/Future of MUGA

Despite promises by Highways Yorkshire, the cycle path on the A64 slip road next to Pike Hills golf course remains obstructed, The overgrowth problem was reported in June. Shortly afterwards Highways Yorkshire (who are responsible for the path up to the junction with the A1036) tweeted to say that the whole path would be routinely freed of obstructions during July.

That has proved not to be the case.

Now the issue is set to be escalated to the local MP but this really shouldn’t be necessary. A team could clear the hazardous overgrowth (thorn branches) in just a couple of hours.

We hope that the issue is not left to volunteers to tackle. If the government is serious about encouraging sustainable transport – the the very least they should do is maintain existing paths in a useable condition.

UPDATE: Highways Yorkshire have tweeted to say that the path “is due to be cleared in the very near future”

We’ve also reported overgrowth near the cemetery and at the Tesco roundabout (York Council responsibility)

MUGA Mugged

Separately we have queried with Councillors representing the Westfield ward what the future of the former Multi User Games Area (MUGA) site off Kingsway West is. It was used as a building compound for a couple of years but was subsequently abandoned.

The expectation was the the area would be leveled and grassed over. At present it is a weed infested eyesore.

The Council mowers studiously avoid cutting the area. They stick religiously to a route outside the line of the MUGA fence (which was removed last year).

If the area isn’t to be maintained as grassland then there is scope for more tree and wildflower planting. Neglect shouldn’t be an option.

Sadly there is still no news of the promised replacement games area. An all-weather surface, to replace what was lost, was due to be provided at the Thanet Road Sports Area, but progress has been glacial.

Former MUGA site off Kingsway West

More confusion over cycle path improvements

Part of the planning approva,l for the provision of sports pitches on land off Tadcaster Road/Sim Balk Lane, was that improvements had to be made to the cycle track link to the Park and Ride site. Users of the pitches would use parking spaces at the P & R site and then walk to the changing rooms. Details of the improvement works had to be agreed by the Council and published before building work started. This didn’t happen but, before the pitches can be used, improvements must be implemented.

A new application was published on the Councils “Planning on Line” web site a few weeks ago. It purported to give details of the way in which condition 14 of the original application would be fulfilled. However, no details of the proposals (understood to include some resurfacing work and better lighting) were included.

The application has some additional significance as a certificate of completion for the new pitches can’t be issued until the work is completed. Completion of the pitches is a planning condition attached to the Council’s housing development at Lowfield.

The condition said that homes there couldn’t be occupied until the replacement pitches were brought into use.

Not withstanding this, the Council announced in the media yesterday that the home s at Lowfields were being occupied. No attempt seems to have been made by the Councils housing arm (Shape Homes) to discharge the condition or have the planning permission amended.

The muddle is now subject to a formal complaint to the Councils planning enforcement team.

Meanwhile more bad news for cyclists. The cycle path which runs adjacent to the A64 slip road near the Pike Hills golf course remains blocked. Some mowing has taken place next to the dual carriageway but the slip road area has been ,missed.

We’re not sure whether this was just an oversight or whether a “demarcation dispute” is taking place between Highways Yorkshire and the York Council?

Either way, cyclists currently need PPE to negotiate the nettles, brambles and thistles which impede the path.

Cycle paths still obstructed

Mixed news about getting local paths cleared of overgrowth

Tadcaster Road cycle path blockages
See the source image

Meanwhile the York Council is now claiming that they are not responsible for keeping the cycle track, which is located next to the slip road from the A64, clear of obstructions. The Council did actually cleared similar problems this time last year.

We will be very disappointed if this turns out to be a jurisdiction stand off between the York Council and Highway Yorkshire. The latter is responsible for maintaining the cycle path along the side of the trunk road.

Some progress on cycle path blockages

Following on from our story yesterday, there has been some progress with getting cycle paths cleared of overgrowth

Workers were out on the SUSTRANS York – Riccall path today. They had cleared vegetation blockages from about 50% of the track by mid afternoon. They hadn’t reached the path near Riccall whichsuffers the worst obstructions

Meanwhile Highways England have tweeted (left) to say that the section of cycle path next to the A64 will be cleared later this month

The York Council responded today to say that the section of cycle track on Tadcaster Road next to the golf course had been cleared. Sadly, on checking today, we found that it hadn’t been touched.

It is remans obstructed by nettles and thistles

Tadcaster Road cycle path is still obstructed.

Transport changes in York

A raft of changes to transport and travel in York will be discussed at a meeting taking place on 11th May. The changes include

e-scooters & e-bikes

Officials claim that there have been no accidents involving the hire scooters since they were introduced to York last year. No information is provided on reliability or the scooters vulnerability to vandalism.

Very recently e-bikes have been added to the hire options available.

Officials are now proposing to extend their availability to areas outside the outer ring road. Initially these will include Haxby, Wigginton and Poppleton.

Bus franchising option rejected.

The Government is set to end the COVID-19 bus support grants in July 2021. They may be extended in certain circumstances.

Councillors are set to reject an opportunity to introduce bus franchising into the City. In effect this option allows the Council to seek tenders to run bus services on specific routes or zones. It offers an opportunity to influence fare levels and frequencies and avoids competition. However, it could be a very expensive option

In York, which (pre virus) had a generally well used bus service,  several routes already operate on a contract basis. These include the popular park and ride services and those to and from the University.

Seven bus companies currently operate in York. The largest in First.

Instead of extended franchise working, the authority seems likely to opt for what is known as an “enhanced partnership”.

By October, Councils must publish a Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), setting out how bus services will be improved in the local area.

ResPark decision for Tadcaster Road area

The Council is set to turn down a request for a Res Parking zone to be set up in the Slingsby Grove/Royal Chase area. Residents turned the idea down in a recent poll.

A scheme will  be introduced in the St Edwards Close area where the majority of residents supported the idea.

Litter and graffiti shame on Tadcaster Road

Sorry to see so much litter and graffiti on Tadcaster Road today. The full bin is near Tesco and opposite the College.

Tadcaster Road

We’ll report the issues but it would be good to see the supermarket and the College taking action to prevent a repeat.

Such an eyesore on one of the busiest routes into York.

Appeal following assault at Askham Bar, York

Officers are appealing for witnesses and information following an assault near Tesco at Askham Bar, York.

The incident happened on Monday 8 March at around 11.40am when an 18 year old was assaulted as he left the Tesco store making his way back to York College. It happened on the ramp that leads from the Tesco carpark to the crossing on Tadcaster Rd.

The suspect is described as a white man, of student age, around 5ft 11in in height, with brown hair and of medium build. He was believed to be wearing wearing a light grey hoodie and dark brown skinny jeans and grey trainers.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police. Dial 101, press 2 and ask to speak to PC Darren Cox.

Please quote reference number  12210073613 when passing on any information.

Micklegate Bar reopened

Micklegate Bar has reopened to eastbound traffic. All lanes are now open on Blossom Street.

According to Council sources the contractor responsible for removing the temporary road closure signs did not act promptly to remove them when the gas main replacement work was completed.

We think that the Council could have done much better in keeping users updated on the reasons for the delays.

Further down Tadcaster Road, the gas main replacement works are still behind schedule, but there is one piece of good news.

It appears that there will be no total closure of St Helens Road when the works reach that junction. Instead 3 way temporary traffic lights will be used.

It remains unclear when this part of the project will actually start.

Road works set to continue on Tadcaster Road

Road users face several more months of congestion on one of York’s main arterial routes.

We commented on Friday that it seemed that gas main works at Micklegate Bar would not be finished by todays deadline.

Gas main replacement work on Tadcaster Road 27th February 2021

Further down the route gas main laying is edging forward but with no end in sight.

Work at the St Helens Road junction is due to start tomorrow.

Now the Council has said that it will also start drainage testing, cleaning and improvement works on the section from the A64 to the Askham Bar roundabout.

The work is expected to last for 5 weeks. (This is the section of carriageway which wasn’t resurfaced last year). Most of the work is expected to take place in the late afternoon or overnight.

When this work is completed, works are planned for the section between Askham Bar and Blossom Street.

The improvements are expected to cost around £5 million.

While we think that the Council is right to get as much work done, on well used roads, while traffic levels are relatively low, we are not convinced that the last years work, and this years projects, could not have been better coordinated.

Tadcaster Road

It looks like more may emerge over the Councils blunder in resurfacing Tadcaster Road in the summer and then deciding to dig it up again in the autumn.

In total over £5.5 million is being spent on the road with Northern Gas networks currently installing a new supply pipe along one side of the road.

When this work is completed the Council intends to lay new, surface water, drains.

Gas main works in The Mount area

The Councils scheme is being funded from a grant announced in June by the government. The announcement came a few days after the initial resurfacing scheme had been completed.

At the time there was some scepticism that York Council officials had not communicated with their DpT counterparts and explained that the work had been completed. We commented on the plans earlier in the year.

Now correspondence has been unearthed which suggests that the Northern Gas Network repairs were known to the Council in February (before the resurfacing contract was let).  An email says that the gas main would need replacing within 5 years.

It is one of several in west York that will need to be upgraded before 2026 as metal pipes are replaced with plastic. They are shown in purple on the plan.

Gas main replacement programme

An internal Council Email dated 2nd July confirmed that Tadcaster Road would be dug up again. It gave utilities a second chance to get their work done before the Council moved in again.

It was a response to this invitation which led to the current Northern Gas works, which are due to be completed in February.

We suspect that – like several other transport schemes – officials were keen to use the first lockdown period to get disruptive works out of the way while traffic levels were light.

 Although the right approach in principle, it led to corners being cut and, in this case, has resulted in a substantial waste of taxpayers’ money.