2 way temporary signals in operation @ A19 Shipton Rd on 28/10/13 to 15/11/13 from 09:00hrs till 15:30hrs daily, due to footway works.
— York Travel (@york_travel) October 22, 2013
University Road closed
Just a reminder that University Road is closed at the junction of Heslington Road due to road works until 30th October.
— York Travel (@york_travel) October 26, 2013
Have your say on York’s new-look bus timetables
Bus users along the Hull Road to Dunnington route in York will notice new-look bus timetables have been installed as part of a two month trial.
New timetables have been installed at 42 stops along the number 10 route.
Funded through part of the £3.5 million government Better Bus Area Fund, it is intended that following the trial any necessary improvements can be made, and that the timetables will then be rolled out city wide to the whole network during December/January.
The roll out will include every bus stop in the York area receiving a new timetable cases, which will use a single consistent design showing all departures from the stop in time order.
Citywide childcare survey launches
City of York Council is asking mums, dads, carers and parents-to-be in York what they think about childcare in the city this autumn.
The council has launched a citywide consultation to find out whether there is enough high quality childcare in York, whether it’s available at the right time, in the right place and at an affordable price.
The results of the survey will be used to help shape childcare provision in the future.
Carers, parents and parents-to-be can take part in the consultation in a number of ways:
• Online at www.yor-ok.org.uk/childcare
• By calling the council’s Family Information Service on 01904 554444
• By collecting a copy of the questionnaire from the reception at West Offices
• By taking part in focus groups run at different locations around York
The consultation will run until the end of December.
For further information please contact York Family Information Service on 01904 554444 or fis@york.gov.uk.
York Local Plan: 14,000 objections to city wide consultation
Thousands of residents and businesses along with other organisations have responded to City of York Council‘s extensive city wide consultation which will help shape the development of York’s future Local Plan.
The figures and initial feedback are outlined in a report to be taken to the Local Plan Working Group on Monday 4 November, available to view click here
The papers list petitions received and these include objections to the development of land on Moor Lane opposite Woodthorpe.
Statutory bodies have criticised the proposal to increase the size of the City with English Heritage saying that they would harm the special character of York while Leeds University says that the growth figures are wrong.
The North Yorkshire County Council is critical, while the Highways Agency records concerns about the impact the plan would have on transport systems.
However most of the individual objections are still being analyzed by Council officials.
Even the Council Leadership have acknowledged that the number of objections are the largest ever received in response to a Council proposal.
York City centre shopper decline started in 2012
York City centre “to let”
The calamitous decline in the number of shoppers in the City centre first became apparent in 2012.
In that year, the new Labour administration increased car parking charges by 20p for residents.
Yearly footfall figures click to enlarge
In 2013 they went up again meaning that residents faced a 36% hike in just 2 years.
We forecast that this could have major implications for City centre traders.
The additional traffic restrictions have simply accelerated the downward spiral with “to let” notice springing up all around the City centre as shops pull out.
In the period up to 2011 the, then LibDem led, Council had frozen parking charges.
It had even reduced them at an innovatory “shoppers car park” at Foss Bank.
Footfall figures reveal that for the first 3 years of the recession (2008 – 2011) the numbers accessing the City centre were remarkably stable.
2012 saw a 6% reduction while this increased to 12% comparing September 2013 with the same month in 2012.
Bus Journeys in York Click to enlarge
New traffic restrictions were blamed for the accelerating trend.
Meanwhile the numbers of bus passengers has also fallen away although the Council has so far refused to reveal the 2012 passenger numbers.
As we said yesterday, the Council seems to be frozen into inactivity with no real idea what to do to get itself out of the self created crisis.
Nero showed a greater sense of urgency.
Half term offer – Adults FREE at paper making event on Tuesday
click to enlarge
Rawcliffe Park and Ride site may be used for fireworks display
The Council has approved a licensing application which could see the Rawcliffe Bar car park used for open air entertainment events.
It transpires that this may include the “Kaboom” fireworks display scheduled to take place on 3rd November.
Why the Council should leave the licensing application, until only a couple of weeks before the event is scheduled to take place, will be a cause for speculation..
Touch Rugby League World Cup tournament at Energise on Sunday 24 November
City of York Council is encouraging residents to enter a brand new touch rugby competition ahead of the Rugby League World Cup which starts this week.
click to enlarge
City of York Council, in partnership with Energise and York City Knights, will host a Touch Rugby League World Cup tournament at Energise on Sunday 24 November, just one week before the World Cup final, and is inviting teams of six to sign up and take part.
Entries to the six-a-side competition cost just £12 and allows for a maximum of two substitutes.
Registration closes on Monday 18 November. To register, teams should contact Dean Sharp from City of York Council’s Sport and Active Leisure Team on 01904 553377 or by emailing dean.sharp@york.gov.uk.
Road works in New Earswick
Pedestrians and cyclists will benefit from works to improve access and crossing points in and around Joseph Rowntree School in New Earswick.
Construction of a new zebra crossing and off-road cycle links to the south of the school will start from Monday 28 October for approximately two weeks. To enable this work to be carried out safely and quickly, there will be a road closure on Sunday 3 November
A key aim of the scheme, part of the wider School Safety Programme, is to facilitate and encourage walking and cycling on school journeys, reduce the number of cars on the network at key times, and promote sustainable travel habits at an early age.