12 and 14 bus service changes – Transdev to accept First Day tickets

Lib Dem councillor Stephen Fenton has secured an assurance from the council that Transdev (the new operators of the late night 14 service) will be contractually obliged to accept First Day and First Night tickets when the new service starts on 2 September.

A number of Acomb Park residents have been in touch to raise concerns about the service changes, and in particular whether this would mean them having to buy a separate ticket to get home on the late night Transdev service.

First have confirmed that their 6pm to 9.30pm 12 service will travel along the Moor Lane layby (green line below) and will stop at the bus stop on Moor Lane near to the junction with Alness Drive (circled in red below).

Timetable information is available on the iTravel York website HERE

Changes to 12 and 14 bus services from 2 September

First Bus have announced changes to the number 12 and 14 services that serve the Tadcaster Road and Woodthorpe areas.

The changes follow City of York Council undertaking a competitive tender exercise for subsidised bus services. The most significant change will see the number 14 service run by a different operator.

Here is the information that First have published regarding the number 12:

  • Changes to the early Saturday morning timetable
  • A revised service will operate in the evenings between 1900 to 2100 providing journeys between Stonebow and Woodthorpe. These will operate to Woodthorpe as normal route to Moor Lane, then via Acomb Park Old Moor Lane (layby), terminating at Woodthorpe Shops.  The last First Bus from Woodthorpe to York will leave at 2125
  • Journeys after 2100 to Woodthorpe will be undertaken by service 14 which will be undertaken by another operator under contract to City of York Council
  • The 1818 from Monks Cross will be retimed to operate at 1810, and an additional journey from Monks Cross at 1835 and will operate through to Woodthorpe

The revised number 12 timetable is available HERE

We will make available information about the new arrangements for the number 14 service as and when we have them.

Moor Lane applicant appeals against planning refusal

City of York Council has received notification from the Planning Inspectorate that the applicant for the Moor Lane planning application (18/02687/OUTM) has appealed the Council’s decision to refuse the outline permission for up to 516 residential units.

The Planning Inspectorate has notified the Council that the Inquiry will start on 12th November 2019 and it is anticipated that the Inquiry will sit for 12 days.

The Council will send notification of the appeal to any person who was notified or consulted about the application and any other interested persons who made representations.

If however the representation was part of a petition, each individual on the petition will not be notified by the Council.

Cllr Stephen Fenton at Askham Bog with YWT’s Louise Wilkinson and Alastair Fitter

Cllr Stephen Fenton commented “This is disappointing news, but not surprising. The application was refused by the Planning Committee unanimously on the basis of a very thorough report which set out clearly why the proposed development is completely inappropriate due to the impact on Askham Bog and local infrastructure.”

“The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust mounted a fantastic campaign to save Askham Bog which attracted over 7,000 signatures. The campaign will go on until the threat to this site is defeated once and for all.”

Dringhouses hit by graffiti blitz

Telecom and electrical cabinets and bus shelters in Dringhouses were recently hit by a graffiti ‘artist’.

Local Lib Dem councillor Stephen Fenton (with the help of graffiti removal wipes!) tackled the bus shelters and cabinets on Tadcaster Road. The electrical cabinet on North Lane, near the entrance to Hob Moor, remains to be cleaned up.

Bus stop on Tadcaster Road near The Horseshoe
Bus stop on Tadcaster Road near St Edwards
Graffiti on North Lane

Fresh hope for Woodthorpe Post Office

The Post Office has announced its intention to open a branch in the McColls store on Moorcroft Road, a few doors down from the former Post Office branch which closed earlier this year

The proposal is now out to consultation Here, with a closing date of 18th September.

News of the relocation plans will come as a boost to local residents who have missed having this local facility. Over the summer local Liberal Democrat councillors collected a petition calling on the Post Office to reinstate counter services.

‘Handyperson’ sought for Woodthorpe shops area

The owner of the area at the front and rear of Woodthorpe shops on Moorcroft Road is looking for a handyman or woman to keep the area tidy. This is a paid position.

Initially because the area is in need of quite a bit of attention, there would be a few days work up front. It would then need a couple of hours every week or fortnight to sweep and keep on top of the weeds.

If anyone is interested, please contact Cllr Stephen Fenton on 07751 963215 or email cllr.sfenton@york.gov.uk and he will pass your details on to the landowner.

Travellers move on, but…

The travellers who occupied a playing field at the rear of the Revival estate have moved on, but they have left a large amount of rubbish behind. A chicken was also found wandering around in the debris.

The council’s cleansing team has been tasked with the clean-up job. Local councillors have also asked that the gates and bollards that the travellers smashed through are secured as a matter of urgency.

Travellers served with notice to leave

The Council’s Neighbourhood Enforcement team have issued the travellers occupying land next to the green lane in Dringhouses with a ‘direction to leave’ notice requiring them to leave by 17:00 on Wednesday 24 July.

Should they fail to adhere to this direction, the council will apply for a Court Order to remove them, if they don’t leave at that point bailiffs will be instructed to physically remove them from the land.

The Neighbourhood Enforcement team has been sent photographs of the human excrement that is littering the paths and the nature area and they have been asked to arrange for the mess to be cleaned up.

Local councillors have also asked that the gates and bollards that the travellers broke through to gain access to the site – starting with the metal ‘Farm Access’ gate off Sim Balk Lane – are properly secured.

Travellers set up camp in Dringhouses

We have been contacted by a number of local residents who are concerned about a traveller camp that has appeared on a football pitch at the rear of York College. It is located off a cycle and footpath to the south of the ‘Revival’ housing estate off the Askham Bar roundabout.

A particular concern is the fact that a wooden bollard has been removed where the cycle path meets the green lane path. Vehicles are now driving along this well-used walking and cycling route.

The Police, York College and City of York Council’s Neighbourhood Enforcement team have been notified.