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York Park and Ride site let down

Still work to do at Poppleton Bar

Weeds2 Park adn Ride site

The York Council issued a statement on Friday claiming that work at the Poppleton Bar Park and Ride site had finally been finished – 5 months behind schedule.

But as our photos reveal, this is far from the truth with both landscaping and white lining work still outstanding. The site compound is also still in place.

Sadly the City has become all too familiar with weed growth in gutters, public spaces and even bridges around the City over the last 6 months.

However claiming a site is finished while it is still covered in 3 foot high weeds is surely a bit too disingenuous for even the Councils Labour Leadership.

It is after all the first point of call for some tourists and their impression of the City is likely to be coloured by their early experiences.

Low flying cyclists?

Low flying cyclists?

More seriously, from a safety perspective, is the Councils decision to encourage shared cycle/pedestrian use of the path from the A1237 underpass to the Park and Ride site.

unsegregated cycle/pedestrian path

unsegregated cycle/pedestrian path

Apart from one sign – which we suspect most pedestrians will not recognise – there is no reminder of the need to take extra care because of possible conflicts.

At the very least there needs to be repeater signs and warnings painted on the surface of the path.

At the moment, there not even a white line separation.

Organisations represented partially sighted people have been very critical about this kind of arrangement in the past.

No doubt they will be knocking on Cllr Levene’s door before very long!

 

Lendal Bridge and Coppergate traffic restrictions – York Council acted unlawfully

Call for resignations at Council

Lendal Bridge signs

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse for York’s Labour Council it has.

Reports are coming in that the governments independent adjudicator has ruled that fines issued using ANPR cameras on both Lendal Bridge and Coppergate are unenforceable.

The consequences for the Council which has raised around £1 million from fines levied in both locations are likely to be far reaching. Any driver who chooses to appeal against the fine is now likely to have the charge refunded.

In some cases the Adjudicator has the power to order the Council to pay the appellants costs.

In the main, the adjudicator has criticised the signage used to advertise both orders.

He also concludes that Lendal Bridge could not reasonably be regarded as a “bus lane” given the number of exemptions given by the Council.

We have said all along that the Council closed the wrong bridge, in the wrong year and using the wrong method of enforcement.

They compounded their mistakes by failing to consult properly and by relying on inadequate signage.

The Cabinet members with responsibility for the scheme should now resign.

The ANPR cameras should be switched off immediately.

A more measured approach to improving transport systems in York in the future is required.

The full test case adjudication result can be downloaded by clicking here

Revised bus timetables on First web site ………..but still no reliability info

The detailed new bus timetables – which will be introduced on Sunday – can now be viewed on the First web site.

However, the Council continues to refuse to release information about bus service reliability in the City.

bus-stop1

Ironically a meeting is taking place today which talks about the importance of “journey planning”. It seeks to promote increased bus use but develops acute myopia on the issue of service reliability information.

Uncertainty is the single factor most likely to cause potential bus users to instead opt for the car.

The Council in response to the latest Freedom of Information request, says that it has entered into a confidentiality agreement with the local bus companies.

It receives reliability data but the council claims that it is prevented, by the terms of the agreement, from sharing the information with passengers.

Only an annual reliability figure is published and that on an obscure DPT web site. The latest (2011/12) figures suggest that around 80% of York services run on time.

Behind closed doors logo

Incredibly even reliability data on services paid for by the Council taxpayer (around £800,000 is paid out in subsidies each year) is not published.

What has compounded the mistake has been a decision to cease independent checks of service reliability. These would not be covered by the data sharing protocol and could – as happened in the period up to 2011 – be published. Labour stopped the checks shortly after taking office.

The so called data sharing protocol is effectively a restrictive practice. which is to the disadvantage of the taxpayer and bus passenger.

It is likely that – unless more information is offered – that an appeal to the Information Commissioner (and possibly the Ombudsman) may be lodged.

In the mean time the governments Transport Minister is being urged to introduce regulations which require all public transport providers to publish the same quality of service information which rail operators have been forced to do for over a decade.

Over 12 months ago the Minister responsible urged the Council to start providing more quality of service information.

Salt bin removal and gritting routes. York Council forced to extend consultation period

City of York Council has been forced to extend its “on line only” winter maintenance consultation for a further two weeks. It will now close on Sunday 15 September.

The Council was heavily criticised for holding the consultation during the main school holidays.

click to access larger interactive map

click to access larger interactive map

This was compounded a few days ago when the maps of the new gritting routes were unavailable on the Council’s web site.

In some areas it is proposed to remove around 80% of the salt bins from local streets.

Abandoned salt bin

Abandoned salt bin

Several major bus routes will no longer be routinely salted (e.g. Ryecroft Avenue, part of Chaloners Road , the Dringthorpe estate plus dozens of other streets)

However the survey questions are heavily “loaded” with little opportunity for residents to tell the Council to look elsewhere for economies.

Residents are being advised to write in “safety comes first, no cuts to de-icing services”

The survey can be found by clicking here

Alternatively the Council now says that residents can visit their “reception at West offices, Station Rise, York where the maps will be available on display boards with facilities available for you to complete the survey from Monday 2nd September.

Those groups who cannot meet this timescale can send their comments to Stephen Moulds by 30 September 2013 and we will endeavour to consider those comments when making a final decision on 9th October 2013”.

Water End flood defences work starts

A multi-millon pound scheme to help protect residents’ homes and businesses from the risk of flooding is now underway in the Water End area of York.

The £3.2million scheme starts after an extensive public consultation by the Environment Agency over the past two years. The work will help to reduce the flood risk to over 300 homes and businesses in the area.

York flooding

The defence work will consist of building a brick-clad flood wall that will be approximately 300 metres long, along the section of Water End between Landing Lane and the river bridge. Flood defences will also be installed around Landing Lane. The existing embankment behind Swinerton Avenue and the park land behind St Barnabas School will also be raised as part of the scheme.

To stop river water entering Yorkshire Water’s sewerage system, a series of underground valves called penstocks will be upgraded. Innovative remedial work will also help to decrease seepage through existing flood embankments.

Helen Tattersdale, Environment Agency project manager, said: “We’ve worked closely with the local community and our key partner, City of York Council, and have produced a scheme that will reduce the risk of flooding and help to give residents greater peace of mind. Construction has now begun and we aim to complete the works as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

Temporary footpath and cycleway closures will be in place from Monday 8 April. Residents with queries about the scheme are welcome to drop in at the site compound at any time.

The works are expected to be completed by December 2013. More information on the scheme click here

Leeman Road flood barrier set for approval

click to enlarge

Additional flood prevention works in the Leeman Road area are recommended for approval at today’s Planning Committee meeting.

The Flood Alleviation Scheme will improve the level of flood protection to 393 residential and commercial properties in the vicinity of Water End.

The works include:

(a) Installing a 15m-wide and up to 1.2m-high demountable flood barrier across Landing Lane at the junction with Water End;

(b) Constructing a 300m-long and up to 1m-high flood wall on the riverward side of Water End road embankment;

(c) Raising a 150m-long section of the existing Leeman Road embankment by 1.1m. A ramp and timber steps would be provided to enable the public to cross the embankment from Lincoln Street to the river.

d) Constructing a new 400m-long flood embankment around St Barnabas’ School to connect with the raised Leeman Road embankment. The embankment would be 2m above ground level where it joins the existing embankment and 1.2m above ground level where it meets Cinder Lane;

(e) Raising ground levels (by up to 0.5m) and flood walls along the western-most section of Cinder Lane at its junction with Jubilee Terrace to tie-in with the new embankment;

(f) Provision of a kick-about pitch in the area of open space to the north of the raised section of Leeman Road embankment.

(g) Temporary use of the former bowling green off Salisbury Road as a construction compound and reinstatement after construction.

Some additional minor works would be carried out under the Environment Agency’s permitted development rights, in particular the provision of three storage cabinets within the Holgate Beck Pumping Station compound at Landing Lane.

Confusion over green bin plans

Confusion surrounds Labour’s plans to scrap free garden waste collections after a proposed consultation on the changes was delayed.

In July Liberal Democrats revealed that Labour run City of York Council was considering introducing a “subscription-based service” and seasonal garden waste collections in a bid to make budget savings. Under Labour’s timetable consultation with residents was due to take place in August with a decision being taken by the Cabinet Member in September. However, just days after the plans were revealed Cllr Sandy Fraser, then Cabinet Member for Environment Services, resigned and so far no consultation on green bins has happened.

Fresh doubts about the plans emerged last week after it was revealed that the Council missed recycling targets for the April to June period, and the percentage of waste sent to landfill sites was higher than anticipated leading to additional landfill tax for the authority. In April Labour controversially closed the Beckfield Lane Household Waste and Recycling Centre.

Councillor Ann Reid, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Environmental Services, commented:

“There appears to be increasing confusion over the plans. Proposed savings in the department were agreed by Labour in February, but no precise details were given. In July plans to reduce or charge for the garden waste service began to emerge and a consultation timetable was agreed. Then the Cabinet Member resigned and now the timetable has been scrapped. It is a mess.

“Labour did not consider how unpopular the plans would be or that any budget savings achieved could be cancelled out by a fall in recycling rates, an increase in waste being landfilled, and an ensuing rise in the landfill tax the Council pays. Recycling and landfill targets are already being missed after the closure of Beckfield Lane and the Council is paying more landfill tax because of this. Ending free green bin collections will only compound the problem.

“It appears that officers need extra time to find solutions to get Labour out of this financial and public relations hole.”