Footsteets to be extended to aid social distancing and “kickstart” York’s economic recovery

York’s footstreets are set to be extended from 15 June. The main impact will be on disabled access.

“City of York Council is extending York’s footstreets from 15 June to increase pedestrian zones within the city centre and support local businesses by providing residents more space to social distance, making access to city centre shops and businesses easier”.

There has been no consultation on the proposals

“The actions are designed to support the council’s Economic Recovery – Transport and Place Strategy, to build resident, visitor and stakeholder confidence that York is a safe, healthy and attractive place for everyone.

York has one of the largest pedestrian zones in Europe, with many areas within York’s city centre already designated as pedestrian footstreets.

In line with the Government relaxing the restrictions for retailers this month, pedestrian zones will be extended to include the following streets:

Goodramgate (between Deangate and King’s Square)
King’s Square
Church Street
Colliergate
Blake Street
St Helen’s Square
Lendal

File:Blake Street, York - geograph.org.uk - 1059330.jpg ... — Blake Street pre lockdown

The core footstreet rules will apply to the extension area, including no vehicles being allowed to access, or park on, these streets, including deliveries between 10.30am and 5pm.

During the footstreet times, barriers (staffed for an initial period) will be in place in Goodramgate and Blake Street to control access, but emergency vehicles and the Dial-a-Ride vehicle will be permitted access at all times.

The council is exploring a further extension of the hours in to the evening, to coincide with the reopening of the hospitality sector, alongside encouraging the safe return of residents and visitors by considering incentivised short stay parking in some of the city’s car parks”.

Blue Badge holders can, as has always been the case, park for free in any council car park and can take advantage of using disabled bay spaces in Council car parks too. For more information on council car parks visit www.york.gov.uk/parking

Blue Badges

The council is also exploring where it can create additional capacity for Blue Badge holders elsewhere in the city by the 15 June, and provide further support.

This will include shop-mobility type assistance and additional replacement disabled bays at Monk Bar Car Park. Guides will be available to direct people to other car parks and provide on the day information about car parking availability.

Coronavirus York updates; 16th May 2020

“Don’t socialise in York City centre this weekend” – York Council

Residents encouraged to keep safe this weekend

With good weather once again forecast for York, City of York Council is encouraging residents to stay safe and follow national guidance to continue to reduce the spread of the virus and save lives.

As indicated by the Prime Minister on Sunday 10 May, the Government have revised national guidance on current lockdown restrictions, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus.

With the new guidance in place, the Council is asking residents to prioritise their health and safety this coming weekend by only making essential journeys.

The city centre will be open for essential shopping, but we would urge residents to refrain from using it as an open space to meet people.

Crematorium Chapel to reopen in June

Mourners attending services at York Crematorium are to be allowed inside the chapel, for the first time since the Covid 19 lockdown.

The City Council has announced that from next month it’s lifting its ban on mourners inside the building during services, imposed to reduce the risk of spreading the Coronavirus and protect staff and visitors.

The restrictions meant bereaved families had to gather in a marquee in the crematorium grounds.

In a statement, City of York Council says:

“As part of these changes and taking into account strict social distancing measures required by Government, and the ever-present risks relating to the spread of Coronavirus, the Crematorium will return to permitting attendance in pre-closure numbers. This allows up to ten close family members in the main crematorium chapel, and five in the small chapel.”

The Council says it’s taken the decision after three tests were passed:

The availability of key worker testing
The provision of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE)
A decrease in the number of Coronavirus infections and deaths

“It is anticipated that by 1 June, the transmission (R) rates will fall, along with a reduction in death rates, although the number of funerals sadly currently remain high. If this proves not to be the case and the three tests are not met, the Council may have to consider adjusting the number of bookings that are taken, or reintroducing some restrictions, in order to reduce the risk to bereaved families, funeral directors and crematorium staff.”

Business recovery meeting

City leaders are urging York’s business community to support the city’s economic recovery by joining sector-focused recovery groups.

The council is developing plans to support the city’s economic recovery, incorporating the priorities outlined in the recent Council Plan, including making York a greener and more inclusive city.

To kick-start this process, a strategic business leaders meeting will be held, chaired by Councillor Keith Aspden, the Leader of the Council, to begin discussions on our local recovery plans. This will follow a similar meeting held with city partners, such as local Universities, discussing how to work in partnership earlier in the week

Businesses who are interested in participating in the roundtable events can contact the Make It York Business team on business@makeityork.com.

So just how busy is the York City centre?

Footfall camera in Stonegate

It emerged a few weeks ago that most of the “footfall” cameras in York City centre are not working correctly.

The data from the cameras is used to help plan economic regeneration activities in the City centre.

The cameras do not currently provide any intelligence on who those users are, how they are using the space, or how much they are spending.

The cameras are located in

Stonegate
Coney Street
Parliament Street
Micklegate
Church Street

A new Council report says, “Footfall counts are provided under contract through a network of cameras at five points across the City Centre in a long-standing contractual arrangement with the data intelligence service provider, Springboard. The company uses its bespoke software to analyse camera data and count people passing those locations. Most of these cameras are not functioning for a number of reasons, meaning loss of consistency in data provision”.

Some of the cameras have not been functioning mostly as a result of interruption to power supply.

Critically two of the most important cameras (those in Coney Street and Stonegate) have not been working since last summer. The Church Street camera hasn’t been operational since June 2017.

The camera on Parliament Street is located at a point where data is compromised when last events like fairs are staged in the area.

In effect, the Council and local traders have no idea how many people visited the City during the important Christmas period in comparison to previous years.

Extrapolation of other data suggested that footfall may have been down by as much as 10% compared to the previous year. Clearly though there were some days when some streets in the City centre had reached their effective capacity.

The report says “Anecdotally, we are aware that some City Centre businesses use these figures as a guide to buying stock and hiring additional staff, so there is an additional knock on effect at a commercial level”.

More information is available in Bath

A meeting next week is being advised to extend the current contract for another 12 moths while looking at other options. The City will investigate what is done in other City’s with Bath being evidenced.

The report fails to identify how much the cameras are costing the Council or what the cost of the contract extension will be.

It seems surprising that most of the cameras could be out of service for 9 months without the issue being recognised and remedial action being taken by the Council.

Residents and businesses to have their say on the future of York city centre

Local people are being invited by the City of York Council to have their say on the future of York’s city centre as a major 12-week consultation is launched today to help the Council create a long term vision for the city.

‘My City Centre’ will build on York’s strengths by seeking the views of residents, businesses, visitors and stakeholders to inform a new city centre vision. This vision will guide investment and shape development and improvement projects in York city centre for decades to come.

An online survey will explore issues ranging from affordability, community and the environment to digital technologies, transport, leisure and culture. It can be completed at www.york.gov.uk/mycitycentreyork.

An exhibition and series of drop-in events are also planned in the city centre and around wider York where the public will be encouraged to share their views on some of the challenges facing the city centre through responding to the questionnaire and other interactive elements. The exhibition starts at York Explore, Museum Street from 2 to 26 March before stints at Burnholme and then Acomb. The first two drop-in events are being held on Saturday 14 March on Parliament Street and Friday 20th March at St Helen’s Square, both 10am-2pm.

On Monday 23 March, a workshop session led by retail expert Bill Grimsey provides a further opportunity to discussion the future of the city centre in more detail. Tickets can be obtained at https://mycitycentreworkshop.eventbrite.co.uk

The full details for the exhibitions are:

Touring exhibition

Mon 2 March – Fri 27 March @ York Explore
Mon 30 March – Fri 17 April @ Centre@Burnholme/ Tang Hall Explore
Mon 20 April – Fri 8 May @ Acomb Explore
Mon 11 May – Fri 22 May @ City of York Council West Offices

Staffed drop-in sessions

Wednesday 18 March, 11.30am to 1pm and 5.30pm to 7pm @ York Explore
Tuesday 7 April, 10am to 2pm @ Centre@Burnholme/ Tang Hall Explore
Thursday 30 April, 10am to 2pm @ Acomb Explore
Wednesday 13 May, 3pm to 6pm @ City of York Council West Offices

(more…)

£2 million cost for anti terror measures in York

Includes £300,000 project at York Racecourse

The Council’s Executive will be asked to approve permanent measures to better protect York’s busy city centre from hostile vehicle terror attacks when they meet on Thursday 13 February.

Executive Members will be asked to approve the installation of sliding and fixed bollards, which will replace the temporary measures that were introduced ahead of the 2019 festive period. The previous measures were introduced following police and counter terrorism advice to combat the threat of ‘vehicle as weapon attacks’, like those seen in Toronto, London and Nice.

Executive previously gave approval for officers to start the procurement process for the permanent measures when they met in August 2019. The permanent measures will see vehicle access restricted to the city centre during footstreet hours by using a sliding bollard system. The measures will restrict access to Parliament Street, St Sampson’s Square, High Ousegate and Spurriergate, Coney Street, Davygate, St Sampson’s Square and Church Street during footstreet hours (10.30am -5pm).

To ensure there is still an appropriate level of blue badge parking in the city centre, it is also proposed that the loading bay and taxi rank on Piccadilly will be changed to blue badge parking. The change to the Traffic Regulation Order will be considered by the Executive Member for Transport at a decision session on 20 February.

The bollards will cost over £100,000 a year to maintain.

Councillor Andy D’Agorne, deputy leader and executive member for transport, said:

“However small the risk of terror attacks may be, the safety of everyone in York is our highest priority. That is why we have acted upon police and counter-terrorism unit advice to ensure appropriate measures are in place to protect residents and visitors in the city centre.”

“We are aware that permanent measures need to strike the correct balance between providing an appropriate level of security, whilst respecting York’s heritage and access for people with disabilities, which is why these measures include new provision for Blue Badge parking.”

Members will be asked to:

Approve the final location of the static and sliding bollards
Note the requirement for additional capital funding
Note the ongoing staffing and maintenance cost
Approve the procurement process for engaging with businesses to supply, install and maintain the bollards
Instruct officers to work with Make It York on the planning for security measures for Christmas 2020

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.

Fly posters beginning to irritate residents

With the York Council having made some recent progress in getting to grips with the problem of graffiti in parts of the City, it is disappointing to see an upsurge in fly posting.

Fly posters have always been a problem with fairs, circuses and music venues among the main culprits.

But now the City centre is being covered in stickers.

These are mainly from fringe political groups. Ironically one of the main offenders is a climate change group who seem to be blissfully unaware of the environmental costs of removing the stickers

Given the move towards digital communications , there really is no justification for despoiling the City’s historic core in this way in the 21st century.

The Council, police and amenity societies need to take a stand against this trend.

Supporting York’s city centre night time economy

City of York Council could join 70 towns and cities across the UK by gaining ‘Purple Flag’ status – in a bid to work with key partners and support York’s night time economy.

Town or city centres that achieve a Purple Flag are those that are safe, vibrant, appealing, well-managed and offer a positive experience to residents and visitors.

A report outlining plans for the council to apply for this status, as well as appointing a new role to support the existing Safety Advisory Group (SAG) in the city and combining these two tasks into a single coordinating role, will be taken a public meeting on Wednesday 18 September, to Cllr Keith Aspden’s decision session meeting, for approval.

The Purple Flag standard, launched in 2012, is an accreditation process similar to the Green Flag award for parks and the Blue Flag for beaches. It allows members of the public to quickly identify town and city centres that offer an entertaining, diverse, safe and enjoyable night out.

An Office for National Statistics (ONS) report from November 2018 shows that York now has nearly twice the national average number of pubs per 10,000 residents, and that there are 15 more licenced premises in the city than there were in 2001. This is in stark contrast to national trends with ONS reporting that there has been a 23 per cent reduction in the number of pubs nationally since 2008.

The report sets out the background to Purple Flag as a scheme, existing commitments from city stakeholders, and a proposed way forward to run a Purple Flag process as part of improved partnership arrangements for the city centre. For the SAG elements, the post will help organisers meet their legal duties in respect of complying with their legal responsibilities and keeping people safe.

The decision session takes place on Wednesday 18 September at West Offices from 4pm and is open to members of the public or is available to watch later online from: www.york.gov.uk/webcasts

Cllr Keith Aspden, Leader of City of York Council, said: “The Purple Flag status aims, amongst a broad range of policies, to improve work with partners, reduce anti-social behaviour and support a safer city centre. York city centre’s night time economy is both vibrant and challenging. The continued growth of our reputation as a place to visit for leisure has seen the number of bars and restaurants in the city centre increase in recent years.

“City centres that achieve a Purple Flag are those that are safe, vibrant, appealing, well-managed and offer a positive experience to residents and visitors. The challenges that York’s growth presents are related to the often conflicting needs of different users of the city centre. It is these challenges that Purple Flag seeks to address through positively bringing together those involved in the day time, evening and night time economies, to develop joint plans and make York even safer.”

“Sliding bollards” plan for York City centre

Temporary measures introduced to protect York’s busiest city centre spaces from terrorist attacks could be made permanent by City of York Council next week.

The Council’s Executive will consider the results of a trial restricting vehicle access to the busiest city centre streets during footstreet hours (10:30-17:00) at its meeting next Thursday (29 August)

The Councils consultation revealed major conflicts with the wishes of groups representing disabled people

More disabled parking is planned for Piccadilly

It has been criticised by a former Tory Councillor who said on social media “Almost everyone wants to pedestrianise our city centre. It should be about improving it and supporting business growth in difficult times…not terrorism”

Changes were introduced last November following police counter terrorism advice for long-term measures to combat the ongoing threat of ‘vehicle as weapon attacks’ like those seen recently in Toronto, London and Nice.

If approved, a sliding bollard system would restrict access to Parliament Street, St Sampson’s Square, High Ousegate and Spurriergate, Coney Street, Davygate, Finkle Street, Church Street and Jubbergate during footstreet hours (10:30-17:00).

“Sliding” bollards are planned for the entrances to several streets.

The Executive introduced the measures on a temporary basis to allow for work to understand the impact of restricted access on key groups, including disabled people and others with limited mobility within a core part of the city centre.

The council commissioned studies of how blue badge parking changed throughout the period, alongside a series of workshops with individuals and groups representing disabled people in York.

In addition to the available parking on the streets next to the restricted area, the executive will consider mitigation proposals including:

• continued access to St Sampson’s Square for Dial and Ride services

• creating blue badge parking on the traffic-restricted section of Piccadilly, and converting the taxi rank to blue badge parking during the day time (10:00-18:00)

• extending the parking time restrictions outside Explore on Museum Street from 2 to 3 hours

• supporting marketing efforts for alternative services like Shopmobility and Dial and Ride

*If approved, the Piccadilly changes would be subject to a traffic regulation order change. The proposed changes would be advertised for up a three week period to allow for objections before a decision can be made.

Experiments with rising bollards in the past in York have encountered reliability issues. Reliability and maintenance costs are not considered in trhe Council report.

City centre future

The same meeting will consider launching a consultation exercise on the future of the City centre retail area. The area has change a lot in recent years with several shops being replaced by pubs and restaurants.

Problems with drunken behaviour have increased.

If approved, an engagement exercise “following the principles of early and ongoing public involvement, pioneered on the Castle Gateway regeneration scheme”, would begin in the new year.

This would deliver a “strategic vision for the city centre to guide future development, regeneration and investment decisions”.

The proposal has the support of the York BID and “Make it York”.

The Council report fails to address the needs of sub-urban high streets like Front Street

York Business Improvement District performance review

320,000 pieces of chewing gum removed from pavements.

York Councillors will be considering a report on Wednesday that reviews the work of the York BID. The, mainly business funded organisation, was formed in April 2016 and aims to improve the attractiveness of the City centre.

The report includes an impressive list of achievements. The blight of chewing gum on footpaths is produces a particularly eye catching headline. In addition, 961 pieces of graffiti and fly posters have been removed.

The BID ranger service has also helped to reduce anti-social behaviour and address other criminal activities.

There has been a 1.9% increase in footfall in the City.

The report comes at a time when the government has announced that it will not be funding an initiative to regenerate the York “Future High Street” The shortlisted cities include places like Wakefield and Sheffield, but North Yorkshire has been snubbed.

Last month the government, the Architectural Heritage Fund and the National Lottery Heritage Fund announced a £62 million package of support to breathe new life into historic high streets across the country, to restore historic buildings, create new work spaces and cultural venues. As part of the overall funding, £55 million had been allocated from the Future High Streets Fund. We still hope to see York benefit from this type of government support.

The York BID has been successful initiative and has made a real difference to the quality of the City centre. It has been criticised for drawing Council resources away from sub-urban centres like Acomb but overall the BID is viewed positively.

There are ongoing issues with more improvements needed to the streetscape – too many weeds and too much graffiti – and of course empty properties. The latter in areas like Coney Street now look to be intractable problems, which is why the governments attitude to the City is so disappointing.

Some underused sites and buildings – including those owned by the Council – need to be redeveloped quickly now. The meeting on Wednesday will hear from the Executive member with responsibility for “Economy and Strategic Planning”. Members will no doubt be hoping to hear some positive news about the use of empty property economic development activities in the whole of the City.

We hope that corporate interests will similarly ensure that prominent, but derelict, sites like that next to the Barbican will also now be developed (or at least tidied up).

Overall the BID has had a successful 3 years and can look with confidence to an extension of its mandate.

NB. “Make it York” is reporting separately on its activities click here to read their report