Driver-less shuttles for York city centre?

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority has submitted an ambitious final bid to the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund.

The core bid is for £406 million and includes some investment in York.

Some sections of the local media are getting very excited today about a plan to run a “driverless” shuttle service in York City centre. The aim would be to improve accessibility for people with disabilities.

According to papers published by the Leeds based Authority, the service would initially be based at the Piccadilly car park although additional “hubs” might later be opened at the Marygate and the University.

There is likely to be some scepticism about the safety of operating driver-less vehicles in busy pedestrianised areas.

Other features, of what the Leeds planners call a FMZ mobility hub, include improved inter model arrangements (pedestrian/cycle), fast charging facilities for electric taxis and delivery lockers. Dozens of sites across the region have been identified for similar “hub” treatments.

Much of the bid money would be spent on improving railway stations including York.

It is claimed that a successful bid would “enable direct sustainable access to major development sites, including White Rose Business Park, Olympia Park and York Central” and includes a contribution towards improvements to the A1237 York northern bypass.

There will be issues with some of the terminology used in the West Yorkshire centric document.

York is dismissed as being amongst the 20% of wealthy areas in the country with the region failing – like the York Council itself – to recognise that pockets of deprivation exist in parts of the City. No investment for these neighbourhoods is identified in the bid.

The process serves to emphasise just how remote governance has become in Yorkshire. An unelected regional body determines expenditure priorities for millions of people with little consultation (and minimal communication).

Council taxpayers will be expected to pick up part of the bill for many of these changes yet their involvement in the process seems, at best, to be an afterthought.

West Yorkshire Combined Authority – York’s share of costs benefits revealed

A Freedom of Information response has revealed the amount that York has paid into the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, as well as the claimed benefits.

Last year, York paid £21,645 as its share of the cost of the “Your next Bus” project which we commented on a few weeks ago. The City is due to pay another £21,645 this year towards the project.

smart ticketing

It is unclear when this new bus tracking system will be operational.

The WYCA also claims to have spent £318,149 on “smart bus ticketing” in the York area. This was funded by central government grant and should lead to the extended use of cashless payment options for bus travel. Again it is unclear when this option will be widely available in the City.

York is also due to pay £48,486 to the WYCA this year as its share of the Leeds Region Local Enterprise Partnership costs.

Benefits are expected to include participation in an “Apprentice Hub” programme and an employer ownership pilot.

The WYCA had a (largely inherited) pension liability of over £68 million at the end of the last financial year. It currently admits a total deficit on its reserves of £33 million but has a working balance of £7.9 million. It is not known whether, under devolution proposals, York will remain a participant in the WYCA.

NB. Over £150,000 a year in “special responsibility payments” are being claimed by Councillors serving on WYCA committees although these area not highlighted in the annual figures published by the York Council. All WYCA members receive a basic allowance of £4500 a year

Merrett refuses to resign – gets £4,500 (20%) pay rise?

Cllr Dave Merrett, held by many York residents to be responsible for the Lendal Bridge and Coppergate debacle, has refused to resign.

Rather than sacking him, Council leader James Alexander has promoted him and he will now also sit on committees that will decide the transport plans for the whole of the York and West Yorkshire area.

He will serve, technically as an “observer”, on the “West Yorkshire Joint Authority Transport Committee” but also as a full member of the “West Yorkshire & York Investment Committee”.

The latter will determine how much, where and on what money is invested in transport and economic regeneration schemes across York and West Yorkshire

The new authority agreed at its annual meeting last week that members of its committees will be able to claim £4500 a year in allowances.

This is in addition to the sums claimed from local Councils like York.

A full list of appointments can be found here

The York Council has only appointed Labour Councillors to the West Yorkshire Joint Authority.

None of the appointments has been through any kind of democratic process at the Guildhall/West Offices.

West Yorkshire combined authority – Transport chair to net £29,000 pa!

Those celebrating the first meeting of this authority – which includes York albeit with limited powers – may wonder about openness and accountability.

The shadow authority last met in March

But very little information has been published about the new authority – which the Labour Leadership claims will donate over £40 million towards solving some of York’s transport problems.

The papers for the first meeting (taking place tomorrow) have now been published.

Residents will have no time to read the background to what could be far reaching decisions.

The highly paid Labour Council Leaders – incongruously photographed with head protection (above) presumably in case they meet up with angry Council Taxpayers – will have to be content with their £30,000 local authority pay.

York will have no vote on “budget and levy setting” which will be done by the West Yorkshire Authorities.

But the papers reveal that other Councillors who are “co-opted” onto the “Transport Committee” stand to get as much as £29,000 on top of what they are paid by their Local Authority.

It is likely that the members of the Authorities sub committees will all be Labour Councillors – the need for political balance having been jettisoned.

The names of the Councillors nominated have not been released ahead of the meeting.

No doubt the potential chair of the Transport Committee will be viewing the meeting in the same way that many watch for the results of the Friday evening Euro millions draw.