Council confirms scaling back of Tadcaster Road improvement scheme

City of York Council has published an ‘Officer Decision‘ setting out the details of the £600k overspend that will mean that some of the measures to support walking, cycling and bus use along the Tadcaster Road corridor have been dropped. The report states….

“The ground conditions issues arose from an early stage in the project and have been monitored from early in 2023. The project team initially instigated a ‘value engineering’ exercise in conjunction with the contractor. This is an exercise to identify where proposed works can be removed from the scheme without detriment to the outcomes, and also where time can be reduced by approaching the work in a different way.

When it was realised that ‘value engineering’ on its own would be insufficient to meet the needs of reducing costs, a second process of more difficult decisions was undertaken. This involved cutting back to the absolute minimum where proposed works would be allowed to go ahead.

However it should be borne in mind that some items of work have gone past a point of no return and have to be completed. Likewise, finishing off processes such as carriageway surfacing, have to address the requirements of surface regularity and therefore have to be scheduled in.”

There is understandable dismay that the section of the route which is arguably most problematic for cyclists and pedestrians – the very narrow shared path near to Dringhouses Cemetery – will see no improvements, at least in the immediate future.

In better news, council officers have shared with local councillors details of a separate scheme to improve the spiral path at the entrance to the Solar System Way.

Cllr Ashley Mason at the entrance to the Solar System Way

The long-awaited improvements at this location were required as a condition of the planning permission that was granted for the construction of the Bishopthorpe White Rose football pitches which have been in use for some time.

Council officers have indicated that they do not believe that planning permission is needed for the path improvements here, as they are discharging a planning condition associated with the football pitches. It is understood that the works will get underway in March or April.

The plans shared with local councillors are set out below.

Wains Grove to be resurfaced

The council has announced that Wains Grove is to be resurfaced, with work starting on 23 January for three days.

The road – which has a tarmac layer on top of concrete – has deteriorated significantly in recent years, posing a hazard to pedestrians and cyclists in particular.

Councillors and residents have been campaigning for the road to be resurfaced

The works will be carried out between 8am and 5pm.

In order to carry out the work safely, the use of a full road closure will be necessary whilst works are taking place. 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 work operations.

Emergency services will be permitted through the works in any situation.

Tadcaster Road scheme behind schedule and over budget

As reported in the recent Dringhouses & Woodthorpe Focus newsletter, the scheme to deliver improved drainage and ‘active travel’ measures along the Tadcaster Road corridor will not be completed before Christmas. Initially the end date was advertised as September 2023.

Tree roots and unmapped gas pipes have led to more hand digging than had been anticipated, and an archaeological ‘watching brief’ has also apparently slowed the pace of work.

The scheme is jointly funded by the Department for Transport (£5 million) and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (£1.4 million).

Local councillors had raised concerns about confusion caused by the failure to install markings on the new cycle by-pass opposite the Slingsby Grove shops, but we are pleased to report that markings have now been painted – including a ‘mini zebra’ where the footpath intersects the cycle path.

A report tabled for discussion at a meeting of the council’s Executive on 16 November confirms that the scheme is £600,000 over budget and that some elements of the scheme are likely to be dropped. The report states: “A formal approach to WYCA as one of the existing funding bodies to see if additional funding can be secured has been made. If additional funding cannot be found to support the project then decisions on value engineering to bring the project within budget and slip elements of the current project into consideration for future phases.”

The project team has held two recent ‘drop-in’ sessions for residents, with further sessions planned in December and January.

Meanwhile the project team has published an information / FAQ document with details of forthcoming resurfacing work, which will require some overnight road closures. The document is reproduced below.

Nighttime Resurfacing Schedule for Tadcaster Road

Each night-time road closure will be undertaken between 9.30pm to 6.00am and will be from Sunday evening to Saturday morning, with no works taking place on Saturday daytime or night-time.

PHASE 1:

Wednesday 22 November, until Friday 8 December, working Sunday evening to Saturday morning only between the hours of 9.30pm to 6.00am.

Approximate durations for each closure are as follows:
• Wednesday 22 November until Friday 24 November: between Knavesmire Road and Dalton Terrace
• Sunday 26 November until Friday 1 December: between St Helen’s Road and Knavesmire Road
• Sunday 3 December until Thursday 7 December: between Moor Lane and St Helen’s Road

PHASE 2:

Wednesday 3 January until Saturday 13 January, working Sunday evening to Saturday morning only between the hours of 9.30pm to 6.00am.

Approximate durations for each closure are as follows:
• Wednesday 3 January until Friday 5 January: between Knavesmire Road and Dalton Terrace
• Sunday 7 January until Tuesday 9 January: between St Helen’s Road and Knavesmire Road
• Wednesday 10 January until Friday 12 January: between Moor Lane and St Helen’s Road

PHASE 3:

Monday 15 January until Sunday 28 January: working Sunday evening to Saturday morning only between the hours of 9.30pm to 6.00am.
• between Sim Balk Lane and Moor Lane (please note the roundabout will remain operational for all other roads).

FAQ List

Q. My home is just off Tadcaster Road, how do I gain access to and from my address?

A. There will be five operatives one positioned at each of the road closures/access gates and a supervisor in the middle to escort vehicles through the closure when safe to do so. Anyone needing access in or out of the closure will need to drive to any one of the closure point where they will be approached by a gate man that will ask where they need access too so that the gate man can radio through to the supervisor to come and escort the vehicle in or out of the closure when safe to do so.

Q. What happens if an emergency vehicle requires entry?

A. In the event of an emergency please contact the emergency services as normal. Our traffic management team will provide access for emergency vehicles in all cases. Should you wish to contact our dedicated nighttime road closure supervisor, Lolly Hook, please contact her on 07971 840150, so our team can make any necessary arrangements in a timely manner.

Q. How much noise will occur whilst the resurfacing takes place?

A. A curfew of 11:30pm has been imposed for any breaking out of the road. These restrictions will be adhered to each night. The noise from any machinery will be infrequent.

Q. What will be the diversion routes to access my property?

A. Our traffic management will set up signage to indicate the most convenient diversion routes around where the resurfacing works are taking place.

Q. What if I can’t get out of my driveway?

A. If this is the case please contact our dedicated nighttime road closure supervisor, Lolly Hook, on 07971 840150. Lolly will be able to engage with our traffic management team to find any appropriate solution for you.

Q. What if I see anything that is unsafe practice?

A. Again, if this is the case please contact our dedicated nighttime road closure supervisor, Lolly Hook, on 07971 840150. Lolly will be able to action any practice you find unsafe or, in most cases, be able to answer your queries accurately.

Bus route changes as resurfacing work starts

Moor Lane resurfacing work gets underway on Monday 19 June at 7pm. The overnight closure of the road between Cairnborrow and Eden Close will have an impact on the number 12 and number 14 bus services.

Due to the location of the closure, buses will not be able to operate beyond Grassholme and will instead terminate at Woodthorpe shops.

This means that the stops on Moor Lane beyond Grassholme and on the Alness Drive / Acomb Wood Drive / Bellhouse Way / Foxwood Lane loop will not be serviced after 7pm for the next ten weekday evenings. 

More information is available on the East Yorkshire buses website HERE

2023/24 highways programme published

City of York Council has published its highways maintenance programme for 2023/24, available HERE. Decisions about which roads and footpaths are resurfaced are made by council officers, not by councillors.

In Dringhouses & Woodthorpe ward, £211,000 has been allocated for much-needed resurfacing of Moor Lane between the junctions with Cairnborrow and Eden Close.

It is also proposed to resurface a section of the A1237 roundabout at the end of Moor Lane.

A number of roads in the ward that are in very poor condition, such as Acomb Wood Drive, Crummock, Wains Grove, Hob Moor Terrace, Middlethorpe Drive and the Ryecroft Avenue / Acorn Way junction are not listed. There is however an extra £500,000 on its way from Government for pothole repair – this is welcome and will hopefully enable the council to repair potholes that it currently considers to be not worthy of fixing.

In relation to footpaths, ‘slurry sealing’ is proposed for the paths on Ashbourne Way, Acomb Wood Close, Foxton and Skiddaw.

Tadcaster Road scheme – additional information on traffic control measures, drop-in sessions announced

In response to a request from local councillors, officers managing the Tadcaster Road highway / drainage / active travel scheme have made more information available on the location and duration of temporary traffic lights.

The implementation of temporary traffic lights at the junction of Tadcaster Road and Knavesmire Road has understandably led to delays, and whilst there is useful information on the council website, a number of residents pointed out that there was no mention of where temporary traffic controls would be used.

This has now been rectified, with information added at https://www.york.gov.uk/roadworks-closures-diversions/tadcaster-road-improvements/3 detailing where temporary traffic lights will be used.

The project team will also be holding two further drop-in sessions for local residents at St Edward’s Church on Thursday 2nd March 5-8pm and Sunday 5th March 12:30 – 4pm.

Road maintenance work on Don Avenue on 11th January

City of York Council will be carrying out road maintenance works at Don Avenue on Wednesday
11th January for one day, weather permitting.

In order to carry out the work safely, the use of stop/go boards will be necessary working on one half of the road at a time, before switching over. All on-street parking will be suspended during the hours of the works for the full duration.

Revised proposals published for Tadcaster Road cycling / walking scheme

Further details of measures designed to support cycling, walking and bus use along the Tadcaster Road corridor have been published, with feedback invited by 27th June.

After a previous round of engagement in August and September 2021, council officers committed to engage further, in particular with residents in the Slingsby Grove area, on the finer details of the measures proposed for that section of the corridor including a new signalised pedestrian crossing. Letters have been sent to households in that area, and the full suite of information is available online at  www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/tadcasterroad There will also be a presentation at the Dringhouses & Woodthorpe Ward Committee meeting on 23 June at St Edwards Church.

The proposals being consulted on include:

  • reducing the existing number of parking spaces by two (one on either side of Tadcaster Road, north of Slingsby Grove), leaving a total of nine spaces (five on the Slingsby Grove side and four on the racecourse side)
  • a new location for the pedestrian crossing to provide a safe place for people who park in the southbound layby, and for residents who live in the Hunters Way estate, to get to the shops, bus stop and beyond
  • a stepped cycle track between The Horseshoe and Slingsby Grove. The cycle way would be higher than the road but lower than the footway, and is divided by a kerb, providing some protection for people cycling from motorised traffic

new cycle lane bollards at strategic locations along the route. These highly visible plastic bollards will clearly indicate the cycle lane, to help provide additional protection to people cycling from motorised traffic. The cycle lanes will also be surfaced green, across the mouth of side roads, to highlight their presence to other road users

The proposed works will be funded by £1.4m from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority. This is money that cannot be spent on general highway maintenance.

Further details shared on Tadcaster Road cycling / walking scheme

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 Tadcaster Road proposals have been informed by feedback from residents

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:

  • Widening of the footpath / cycle path at the corner of Tadcaster Road and Knavesmire Road.
  • Confirmation of the proposed pedestrian crossing near to the junction with Nelsons Lane.
  • The pedestrian crossing proposed for The Horseshoe area is to be moved to just south of Slingsby Grove (nearer to the shops), retaining a pedestrian refuge to cater for crossing movements near Middlethorpe Grove.
  • The proposal to relocate the inbound bus stop near Slingsby Grove 75 metres south has been dropped. Instead, it is proposed to retain the bus stop within the shopping area, placing it approximately 20 metres north of its current location. This would create a continuous parking / loading bay outside the shops and provide an opportunity to take steps to improve sight lines for vehicles turning right out of Slingsby Grove. The report commits to localised consultation with residents and businesses in the Slingsby Grove area about the proposed changes from the plans presented last year.
  • Work is to continue to identify measures to improve the very narrow shared cycle / foot path opposite the Sim Balk Lane junction – known as ‘cemetery corner’ – with funds set aside to accommodate a scheme at this location.

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.