Projects reported “on target” to meet promised completion dates

The Wetherby Road roundabout improvement is on course to meet its expected Spring 2019 completion date. In total the improvement will take around 40 weeks to construct.

Wetherby Road speed sign missing for over a year now

The design of the improvement has raised concerns that the speeds of vehicles leaving the junction may be higher than are currently recorded.
In turn, that has prompted some residents on Wetherby Road to ask for the missing flashing speed warning sign to be reinstated. The sign on the odd numbered side of the road has been missing for over a year now. When it was last in place, around 20% of passing vehicles caused it to operate.
A petition is being collected asking for the flashing signs to be modernised. Residents are also calling for an occasional visit by the North Yorkshire Police speed camera van. There are already signs in place warning that there are speed cameras in the area (there aren’t any fixed cameras in this location or anywhere else in York for that matter).
Nearby York Civic Trust engineers have confirmed that they will complete the restoration of the stonework on the Acomb War Memorial before 11th November.
A Service of Remembrance is scheduled to take place then with wreaths being laid at around 11:00am.
The York Council has not yet confirmed that it will complete work on trimming trees and branches in the garden of remembrance before the service. Work on providing an improved access for disabled people is also outstanding.

Bogus speed camera sign on Wetherby Road

Work on Wetherby Road roundabout proceeding on schedule

Acomb war memorial

 

 

Traffic calming plan for Thoresby Road?

Thoresby Road

The Council says it is considering how vehicle speeds on Thoresby Road can be controlled. It will discuss the issues involved at a meeting taking place on 13th September.

Details of the proposals are not yet available.

However, the street – which contains around 200 homes – is not a through route, so much of the problem arises from the use of vehicles by residents and their visitors.

In the past, physical works have not been consider practical because of the narrow width of the carriageway and the fact that on street parking has created a “chicane” effect which has slowed the speed of some vehicles.

There are plans to provide an additional off street parking layby at the low numbered end of the street.

Grange Lane

Separately the Council has decided to back a plan to designate the rural part of Grange Lane as a “restricted byway”. This means that the sections on both sides of the A1237 would be accessible by, not only pedestrians, but also cyclists, horse riders and those driving a “horse and cart”.

It is not clear how much additional maintenance expenditure would be incurred by the change (parts of the route tend to get overgrown) while safety concerns at the by pass junctions remain a real concern.

39% of drivers on Wetherby Road exceeding 30 mph speed limit

It is over a year since the Police stopped using cameras to monitor traffic speeds on Wetherby Road in York,

30 mph sign lit wetherby Road 4th Jan 2015 1500 hours

The section of the road falling between the Ridgeway/Beckfield Lane junction and the end of the built up area, is notorious for problems with speeding.

The man difficulty arises for residents seeking to leave their driveways with an awkward bend reducing visibility.

About 8 years ago the Council installed flashing signs which illuminate when a passing vehicle exceeds the 30 mph limit.

It is probably time for these to be modernised with the type which shows the actual speed of the vehicle.

In a sample check of vehicle speeds on the road taken this week, 39% of those entering the City triggered the sign. This is slightly higher than a similar survey found (38%) in 2011.

On the outbound carriageway, 31% were found to be exceeding the speed limit. In 2011, 42% were exceeding the limit on the same section of road.

We think that it is time for the police to recommence their camera checks in the area.

Tadcaster Road speed limit sign – Council explanation

VAS & car

The York Council has claimed that the new vehicle activated speed sign on Tadcaster Road will flash on whenever a vehicle approaches it WHATEVER SPEED IT IS DOING.

The matrix sign has apparently been installed by the Fire and Rescue Service and, although identical in appearance to the type of sign fitted by the Council on streets like Moor Lane, it is triggered by any approaching vehicle.

From observations it would seem also to be sensitive to vehicles travelling away from the sign on the other side of the road.

While the intention is to remind drivers of the speed limit on the road (30 mph in the case of Tadcaster Road), it does seem likely to cause confusion in some driver’s minds.

Many will expect such signs to be triggered only by those travelling in excess of the speed limit (as happens on Moor Lane).

The sign is likely to be in place for about 2 weeks.