In recent months it has been great to see more people cycling, with many trying new routes. Questions have been raised about the rationale for the current cycle barrier arrangements at some of the entrance points to Hob Moor and how changes might be made which could improve access for bicycles of all types.

Current position

Restricting barriers are in place at the following points on the moor – Railway underpass, Hob Moor Drive, Green Lane, Hob Stone Court (entrance onto the moor heading north), Hob Stone Court (on path from the Kingsway West entrance) and Kingsway West.

The barriers in use at these locations consist of:

• a cattle grid leading to a raised ‘chain catcher’ plinth and shoulder-height guards
• a kissing gate
• a locked swing gate

A RADAR key which opens the swing gate can be purchased from City of York Council at a cost of £3, though on the council and i-Travel York websites there seems to be no explicit mention of the fact that these keys can be used to open these gates.

History

The current barrier arrangements were installed following planning permission being granted in August 2004. The issue was subject to coverage in The Press at that time.

From the information I have been able to gather, the barriers were installed in response to motorbikes using the moor, which was an issue that emerged in the 1990s. This behaviour caused nuisance to the residents whose properties are adjacent to the moor and posed a danger to grazing cattle. I also understand that easy access to the moor on motorbike was used by criminals to evade the Police. It was also considered safer to slow cyclists at the access points to the moor where sight lines are poor and a speeding cyclist could represent a threat to themselves, pedestrians and other cyclists.

There is a recognition by council officers that a review of barrier design across the city is needed, but this has not yet happened.

Analysis

The York Cycle Campaign (YCC) registered their objections to the barriers at the time they were installed. When considering changes to the current arrangements, I believe that views should be sought from a range of individuals and organisations with a legitimate interest, including:

• Neighbouring residents
• The farmer whose cattle graze the moor
• The Police
• Friends of Hob Moor
• City of York Council planning, transport, ecology and legal officers
• Ward councillors for Dringhouses & Woodthorpe, Westfield and Holgate wards
• YCC and other cycling and access groups, eg Cycling UK York branch

It would be helpful to understand whether the threat posed by inappropriate use of motorbikes remains as great as when the barriers were installed. It would also be good to better understand from YCC members and access groups why the RADAR key option for securing access to the moor may not be a viable option. Is it due to the difficulty in getting hold of a key, or a (not unreasonable) wish to have barrier-free access without having to plan ahead for every trip?

There are a range of possible options, set out below. This is not an exhaustive list and some could be considered in conjunction.

• Remove the plinths and shoulder-height guards
  • Pros – would facilitate easier access to the moor for more types of bicycles / trailers
  • Cons – would allow motorbikes onto the moor, may not allow sufficient width for some bicycles / trailers that would still need to use the swing gate, may require planning permission

• Remove just the plinths
  • Pros – would facilitate easier access to the moor for bicycles, could be used as a ‘trial’ to see if the shoulder guards alone act as a deterrent for motorbikes
  • Cons – May allow motorbikes onto the moor, may not allow sufficient width for some bicycles / trailers that would still need to use the swing gate, may require planning permission

• Promote awareness of the option to obtain a RADAR key and make it easier to obtain one
  • Pros – if successful, could make access to the moor more inclusive
  • Cons – does not facilitate easy access without forward planning

• Replace the RADAR key with a technological solution, eg users are issued with a fob which triggers the gate to open when they ‘touch in’ and closes behind them
  • Pros – if successful, could make access to the moor more inclusive and may not require cyclists to dismount to open the gate with a key
  • Cons – possibly expensive, no ‘off the shelf’ product immediately available, would require maintenance, does not facilitate easy access without forward planning

• Do nothing
  • Pros – it continues to be very difficult for motorbikes to access the moor
  • Cons – the current barrier arrangements continue to pose an awkward obstacle for many cyclists and do not permit access to the moor for non-standard bicycles or trailers which can only gain access via use of a RADAR key to open the swing gates

Next steps

A number of possible actions arise which may help to gather information to inform recommendations and decisions going forward.

1. Ask the Police whether the threat posed by inappropriate use of motorbikes remains as great as when the barriers were installed
2. Ask Dringhouses & Woodthorpe, Westfield and Holgate ward councillors whether their local knowledge indicates if the threat posed by inappropriate use of motorbikes remains as great as when the barriers were installed
3. Ask neighbouring residents for their views
4. Ask YCC and other cycling and access groups for their views
5. Ask council planning, transport and legal officers whether planning permission would be needed for any alterations to be made to the current barrier arrangements
6. Ask the council transport team about the likelihood of a city-wide review of barrier types starting sometime soon, and what residents can do to help, eg mapping barriers
7. Ask the council’s Ecology officer what issues, if any, have been encountered in recent years in relation to damage to habitat on the moor caused by motorbike incursions
8. Ask the farmer what issues, if any, have been encountered over recent years in relation to motorbike-related anti-social behaviour and the welfare of the cattle
9. Ask Friends of Hob Moor for their views
10. Explore options for a technological replacement for the RADAR keys