New parking restrictions at Woodthorpe shops

Signage has been installed in the car park behind the shops on Moorcroft Road with the aim of limiting the amount of time that vehicles can be parked there.

Car park signage

Residents using the shops and other local services can park for up to two hours, with no return within three hours. We understand that staff working in the local shops have been issued with permits allowing them to park for longer than two hours.

We believe that these restrictions have been introduced in response to concerns that some residents were using the car park as a ‘park & ride’ facility, parking up in the morning and getting the bus into town. This makes it more difficult for people using local services to find somewhere to park.

The car park is private land, and therefore the council has no role in establishing or enforcing parking restrictions on this land.

Woodthorpe residents hit by reduction in Post Office hours

Woodthorpe Post Office on Moorcroft Road has announced a reduction in its opening hours with effect from 16th April.

The Post Office counter will close on Friday afternoons at 1pm and will remain shut on Saturdays and Sundays. The shop will be open on Friday afternoons, but it will be closed all weekend.

The news comes as a blow to residents who work during the week and rely on being able to access Post Office services at the weekend. The weekend closure of the shop will hit residents who have newspapers delivered, and will particularly affect elderly residents who are less mobile.

Whilst the nearby McColls store sells newspapers, they do not offer a delivery service.

This latest setback comes after the Post Office closed without warning in November 2018. It subsequently re-opened in early December. Cllr Stephen Fenton has written to Post Office Ltd to request an explanation as to what is happening with the Post Office, highlighting the concerns being felt locally by the deterioration in the service.

TalkTalk online ‘Hub’ to provide updates on UFO installation

As the installation of Ultra Fibre Optic cable gathers pace along Tadcaster Road, TalkTalk has established a new ‘Hub’ web page where residents can register for email updates and read the latest UFO news.

The Hub includes a ‘planned build works’ button to find out about the network build and a Frequently Asked Questions section. The Hub will be updated every Tuesday afternoon.

The TalkTalk Care Line team continues to operate, and they can be contacted on 0800 542 8073 or ufo-help@talktalkplc.com

Meanwhile Cllr Stephen Fenton is following up complaints raised by residents on Pulleyn Drive about the quality of the grass verge reinstatement. The soil put down contains a lot of rubble, and as yet grass seed has not been sown.

New Askham Bar P&R evening ‘stopping’ service launched

From 6th January, First York have launched a new ‘3A’ Park & Ride service from Tower Street to Askham Bar which calls at all stops en route.

This new late night service gives residents in the Tadcaster Road area a greater frequency of bus service. It is a particular benefit to residents living at the southern end of Tadcaster Road, which is not served by the number 4.

The timetables for the new service are set out below.

UPDATE – Woodthorpe Post Office closure

We have today received a response from Post Office Ltd about the sudden closure of Woodthorpe Post Office:

“Thank you for your recent email about the Woodthorpe Post Office.

The provision of Post Office services to our customers in your community is important to us, and I’m really sorry we weren’t able to provide any advance warning of this closure.

I can confirm that this branch has been closed on a temporary basis due to circumstances outside of Post Office Ltd’s control. We can’t disclose any further details about the closure as this information is private and confidential, and I’m unable to confirm when the branch will re-open, I can however assure you that our internal teams are working to minimise this disruption in service as much as possible.

We are fully aware of the importance the Post Office has for the customers who depend on us, and I want to assure you that we remain committed to ensuring essential services remain accessible for customers in your community.

Our Area Management Team are also aware of the situation at this branch, and are working hard to identify a solution for the short-term and long-term future of Post Office services in this area. Updates will also be circulated locally as soon as possible.

I can appreciate the inconvenience and frustration this closure may have caused yourself and the local community, and in the meantime I’d advise that you use Post Office services at an alternative branch.

You can use our Branch Finder to find your nearest alternative branch and the services that they offer. Just head over to http://www.postoffice.co.uk/branch-finder and enter your address or postcode.

Once again, please accept my apologies for the temporary closure of this branch and any concern caused. If we can be of any further assistance please don’t hesitate to get back in touch with us again by replying to this email or emailing us at customercare@postoffice.co.uk directly.”

Concern over sudden closure of Woodthorpe Post Office counter

Local Lib Dem councillors have asked Post Office Ltd for urgent answers on why the Post Office counter in Woodthorpe has closed, and for how long it will remain shut.

There is a notice on the door stating that it is closed for a ‘routine stock take’, but a number of residents have heard that it may be closed for up to five weeks.

Cllr Ashley Mason at Woodthorpe Post Office

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Post Office counter is a valuable facility for many local residents, and as Christmas approaches is likely to be particularly busy as residents send parcels to friends and family.

We will post further updates as and when we receive answers from Post Office Ltd.

New ‘Community Tea Room’ for Dringhouses & Woodthorpe

A weekly ‘Community Tea Room’ is being established at the Moor Lane Youth Centre on Wains Road, with support from Ward Committee funding.

Every Wednesday from 12 noon to 1.30pm residents are invited to pop in for a chat and a cuppa. This initiative comes hot on the heels of successful weekly ‘Community Hub’ sessions at Foxwood and Chapelfields.