University Road consultations

City of York Council in partnership with the University of York, are proposing to undertake safety improvements and construct a cycle route alongside University Road to help make the area more accessible and safer for students and residents.

The proposed cycle path will extend along the northern side of University Road between Siwards Way and Innovation Way roundabouts, and will mainly be new construction within the existing verge area. The existing path areas near the library bus stops will be retained.
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A1237 roadworks to last for another 3 weeks.

Council criticised for also closing Leeman Road alternative route from Monday

The York Council has been criticised by motorists for not delaying the start, on the resurfacing the carriageway near the Marble Arch bridge on Leeman Road, until the Poppleton roadworks were completed..

A1237It has now been confirmed that the work is being undertaken at the same time as severe restrictions on the A1237 northern by pass continue to be applied.

The Council has issued a statement today saying,

“‘Businesses are open’, is the message City of York Council is emphasising whilst contractors complete overnight highways works in the north of the city.

Following the opening of the Poppleton Bar Park&Ride, the focus now moves to completing the highway works along the A59 at the junctions with Station Road, Poppleton and the York Outer Ring Road.

Contactors Belfour Beatty will continue to work at night in the area as follows:

  • · Week commencing 9 June: working mainly around the A59/1237 roundabout using temporary traffic signals 8pm to 6am.
  • · Week commencing 16 June: working mainly around the junction of the A59 with Station Road, Poppleton using temporary traffic signals 8pm to 6am.
  • · Week commencing 23 June: finishing off the main roundabout surfacing and markings using a road closure of the A1237, for three nights between 23 – 25 June from 8pm to 6am. Surfacing of Station Road using a road closure of the Station Road/A59 junction for one night (planned for 23 June). Final surfacing on the A59 east and west of the roundabout using temporary traffic signals.

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Hob Moor development – builders want to pull down railings

click for larger map

click for larger map

Developers plan to tear down Our Lady’s housing site railings.

They say it will improve “permeability”

Retention of the railings was considered to be important by local residents, and supporters of the Hob Moor conservation area, as it provided some guarantee that domestic use would not creep onto the moor.

The railings will also provide good quality security for the gardens of the residents of the new homes.

The railings are relatively new and have a longer life than the proposed close boarded wooden alternative.

Details can be found by clicking here

The Council have not given a date by which residents objections must be received although they hope to determine the new planning application (using delegated powers) on 25th June.

Few pupil attacks on teachers recorded in York

Pupils

Following the tragic incident in Leeds recently the York Council has published details of the number of attacks by pupils on teachers over the last 5 years.

They say that 16 instances were reported to the Local Authority

13 incidents resulted in cuts/bruises/grazes. 2 injuries were due to bites. 1 resulted in a broken thumb

Only one incident resulted in a teacher having to go to hospital

The locations for the attacks were recorded as

  • Special school = 5,
  • Pupil Referral Unit = 4,
  • Secondary school = 3,
  • Primary school = 4

Another 20 mph speed limit zone to be imposed on York

Behind closed doors logo

In another behind closed doors decision, the Council has agreed to introduce a wide area 20 mph speed limit across north York (Clifton/Rawcliffe/Huntington area)

Several formal objections were raised to the traffic orders. All were ignored.

Residents are becoming resigned to these limits being imposed but will expect them to be removed next year when a new Council takes over.

In other similar City’s the introduction of wide area 20 mph speed limits has coincided with an increase in the number of serious traffic accidents.

Just a shame that £600,000 of taxpayer’s money is being wasted.

Four local Councillors objected to the proposal (3 LibDem and 1 Tory)

Labour block Lendal Bridge Inquiry

Labour councillors last night formally vetoed Liberal Democrat calls for an inquiry into the Lendal Bridge trial.

Lendal Bridge signs A scrutiny committee review of the controversial trial was requested by Lib Dem councillors Ann Reid and Keith Aspden. But, at last night’s ‘Economic & City Development Overview & Scrutiny Committee’ Labour councillors used their majority to reject the Lib Dem proposal.

Last week Labour leader Cllr James Alexander and Cllr Dave Merrett (the cabinet member responsible for the trial) publicly opposed calls for a review.

Cllr Ian Cuthbertson, who sits on the committee for the Lib Dems, commented:

“It is hugely disappointing that Labour councillors have blocked an inquiry into the Lendal Bridge trial. Liberal Democrats wanted a proper cross-party review of the trial to ensure that unanswered questions are addressed and lessons are learnt.

“Whatever the rights and wrongs of having the trial in the first place, it is clear that it was very badly implemented and managed. Poor signage meant that over 50,000 motorists were fined, the closure caused increased congestion in other parts of the city, then it was ruled ‘unlawful’ by the Government’s Traffic Adjudicator.

We need to understand why these things happened, so that future attempts at tackling congestion do not end in similar failure.

“It is hard to escape the conclusion that Labour councillors cynically blocked the scrutiny review to shield their Leader and the Cabinet Member responsible from proper public scrutiny. If this is the case, it is clearly an unacceptable approach which does our city and its residents a huge disservice.”

Labour’s controversial closure of Lendal Bridge was abandoned in April after overwhelming opposition from residents and businesses and after a Government Traffic Adjudicator ruled the closure was unlawful.

The Economic & City Development Overview & Scrutiny Committee voted 4 to 3 against holding the review with Labour councillors Anna Semlyen, Neil Barnes, Stephen Burton and Joe Riches voting against.

A video of the meeting can be found here: http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts

Policing changes for Dringhouses and Woodthorpe?

North Yorkshire Police have announced a shake up of their structures in York and the rest of the county.

They claim that their main aim is to use technology to increase the time that Police officers and PCSOs spend on the streets.

If it does that then it will get a lot of support from residents.

Police helmete

In surveys that we have conducted recently, some residents have pointed to a reduced patrolling profile for the Police compared to 3 years ago.

The Police will also need to review their communications strategy.

Most residents – while welcoming the use of Twitter, Facebook and the like to provide information quickly – prefer to get a briefing leaflet through their letterbox. This used to be done using joint newsletters with the local Council but this seems to have petered out. Neighbourhood Watch schemes have been unable to fill the information gap in most of west York.

The detailed proposals for policing in York are still unclear.

The Police statement talks of reducing the number of neighbourhood policing teams in the City from 3 to 2. Provided the Sergeants and Inspectors are easy to contact and take time to get out in the community that may not matter.

The last thing that we need is more managers sat in Fulford Road.

The Police should operate out of local community centres and schools whenever possible.

All in all, with a consultation on the future of crime and policing in the City not due to finish until 15th June, the announcement seems a little premature and leaves a lot of unanswered questions

Green bin charges raising £40,000 a year for York Council

Landfill

The York Council has revealed that it is receiving an additional £40,000 a year from the new charges introduced for emptying supplementary green (garden waste) bins.

Each household has been entitled to have only one green bin emptied free of charge since the beginning of April 2014.

When the Labour Cabinet decided to introduce the charges in April 2013, they were told that there were at least 5000 additional green waste bins in use in the City.

They hoped that, by charging £35 per bin per year, they would generate over £122,000 a year in increased revenue.

In reality only 1166 households have decided to pay for the extra bins.

It is unclear that is now happening to the green waste that was previously collected.

While some will be “home composted”, more is likely to be going into grey bins.

This will potentially generate more than £50,000 in landfill tax “penalties” making the charging scheme look unattractive to Council Taxpayers who will have to pick up the extra bill.

Food inspection scores for York care homes revealed

Food Safety First Logo3

Details of the scores given to 5 care homes in the York area have been published.

Each home received a score of between 0 and 2 (the lower the score the worse the result).

Details for each can be downloaded by clicking the name of the home

Barstow House (Rating 1)

Meadowfields (Rating 2)

Somerset House (Rating 2)

Lamal Beeches (Rating 2)

Red Lodge (Rating 1)

Scores for the (vast majority) of homes that scored over 2 have not been listed by the Council.