The planning application recently submitted by the council to demolish the garages at the Moor Lane end of Chaloners Road has been withdrawn.
The site has been earmarked for the construction of four self-build homes. Local councillors understand that the application has been withdrawn so that an Arboricultural Method Statement can be produced, setting out how the retained trees will be protected during demolition works. The application will then be re-submitted.
St James the Deacon Church on Sherringham Drive is hosting a Spring Craft Fayre on Saturday 12 March from 10am to 1pm. As well as handmade crafts there will also be refreshments available.
York City Knights Foundation are running free activity sessions for young people during half-term week at Chesneys Field and Acomb Green. There is no need to book, just turn up.
There are separate sessions for 5-11 year olds and 11-16 year olds.
The dates and times are set out on the posters below.
Dringhouses & Woodthorpe ward councillors have welcomed the publication of further details of measures designed to support cycling, walking and bus use along the Tadcaster Road corridor and a commitment for further engagement with residents and modal groups on ‘light segregation’ proposals designed to improve cyclist safety.
These proposals will be considered at a public Executive Member for Transport Decision Session on Tuesday 18 January at 10am.
The report being discussed at the meeting is available HERE.
The proposed £1.4m scheme is funded from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transforming Cities Fund and will be delivered as part of a wider package of measures funded by the Department for Transport’s Local Highways Maintenance Challenge Fund. The £1.4m funding can only be used on measures to promote cycling, walking and bus use, and cannot be diverted into general highway maintenance.
The latest draft of the proposals take into account feedback from residents that was submitted during a consultation exercise held in August and September 2021, which informed revised proposals set out in a report to a Decision Session held in October 2021. The October report stated that work would be undertaken to explore options for ‘light segregation’ along sections of Tadcaster Road to offer cyclists better protection. It also committed to looking again at proposals to relocate an inbound bus stop near to Slingsby Grove and the positioning of a proposed new pedestrian crossing in that area, both of which had attracted comments and concerns in the consultation.
The report to be considered at the 18 January meeting contains further revised proposals – summarised below – which reflect feedback received and detailed design and costing work undertaken:
Some sections of ‘light segregation’ are proposed as a means to improve cyclist safety on the corridor. The report notes that a variety of different techniques are being used by different local authorities. It states that design options should be considered carefully to minimise maintenance and visual intrusion while protecting users in the lane.
The various constraints along Tadcaster Road are summarised in the report, and these mean it is not possible to provide segregation all the way along the corridor but it is proposed to use segregation (in the form of bolt-down ‘rails’) at a number of locations where cyclists are most vulnerable. It is also proposed to introduce some light segregation in the form of a ‘stepped cycle lane’ on a section of Tadcaster Road in the Hunters Way area, where the road is wide enough to accommodate this.
The report commits to further engagement to refine the approach to light segregation which is proposed and to identify and address any issues or concerns that may be raised. Local councillors will ensure that residents are kept informed and have the opportunity to raise any comments or concerns.
Further to the recent story about the excavation of a small pond on the Knavesmire bordering Bracken Road, the mystery surrounding this work has been resolved.
It turns out that the work is being carried out by Froglife as part of their Yorkshire Tails of Amphibian Discovery (TOAD) project which seeks to reduce the huge decline of the UK’s common toads in Yorkshire and help replenish populations. It is funded through the Government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund which is being delivered by the National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England and the Environment Agency.
This is a very worthy project which deserves support, and it is to be hoped that local residents and councillors will be kept informed of the plans for the site, with opportunities for community involvement.
Local councillors are investigating why a small pond on the Knavesmire has been excavated, leaving the site an unsightly mud bath. The site is off Bracken Road, next to Knavesmire Wood.
Council officers have been asked if they know why this excavation work has been done. York Racecourse has confirmed that the excavation work was not done by them or at their request.
In spring and summer months the pond has been a haven for wildlife, providing a place for frogs to spawn.
Network Rail have organised a drop-in session for local residents on Wednesday 8 December to discuss plans for a temporary compound on land next to the railway line off Moor Lane in Woodthorpe. The event will be held at York College from 4pm to 7pm. Local councillors were made aware of the event in an e-mail from Network Rail on Monday 6 December, though we understand that there has been a letter drop to households near the compound site.
Earlier this year councillors called on Network Rail to engage with local residents about the plans after they announced their plans to establish a compound on Moor Lane to support upgrade work on the line between York and Church Fenton. The initial plans would have seen the compound located 40 metres away from homes on Moor Lane. News of the plans led directly to the sale of a home falling through at the last minute, causing the residents considerable distress.
Cllr Stephen Fenton called on Network Rail to pause their plans and listen to the concerns expressed by local residents. Then in April Network Rail announced that they were proposing to move the compound further downfield to help reduce both visual and noise disturbance from the site.
In their latest e-mail to Cllr Fenton on 6 December, Network Rail said:
“This compound will be vital in enabling us to carry out major track improvement work as part of our Transpennine Route Upgrade, which will allow more frequent, more reliable, faster, greener trains between York, Leeds and Manchester. For a number of months our project team have been investigating what they can do to minimise disruption and intrusion for lineside neighbours and the local community.
Following feedback, we have now been able to move the site of the compound further down the field and additional shielding will be provided by a topsoil barrier. Both these mitigations will help reduce both visual and noise disturbance from the site to residents while we carry out these major upgrade works. We continue to work with City of York Council to obtain agreement to widen the main access gate to assist large vehicles to enter and exit the site.
It is planned that the compound will be active from 15 February 2022 until approximately July 2024. It will only be in operation when required, which will not be for the entirety of this period, but when in use the compound will be operating up to 24-hours a day, which will generate a low to moderate level of noise.
Below is a diagram showing the improved location and layout of the temporary compound. The machine stabling will be placed furthest away from the houses to reduce noise and disturbance. The compound will include:
Cllr Stephen Fenton commented “I’m pleased that Network Rail have organised this event to provide residents with an opportunity to quiz the Network Rail team about the plans and the impact that the compound is likely to have on neighbouring households. I remain concerned in particular about the proposed vehicular access arrangements onto Moor Lane – I note that Network Rail is in contact with council officers about this and would hope and expect there to be a thorough safety assessment undertaken.”
City of York Council will be carrying out road resurfacing work on West Thorpe starting on Monday 29 November for 5 days (weather permitting). The works will be carried out between 9.00am – 5.00pm.
All on-street parking will be suspended during the hours of the works for the full duration, but specific access requirements can be arranged by speaking to the site Traffic Management Operatives, who will coordinate with residents (and business requirements) around the ongoing operations.
The road surface on West Thorpe has been in a very poor condition for many years, despite frequent patching and pothole filling.
Westfield and Dringhouses & Woodthorpe wards are holding a joint Ward Committee meeting on Monday 29 November at the Indoor Bowls Club on Thanet Road which residents are invited to attend.
There will be a drop-in session from 6.30pm, with the main meeting starting at 7pm.
