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.

Access improvements around Woodthorpe and Acomb Park

Dropped kerbs have been installed to make it easier for cyclists and users of mobility scooter users to get around the local area.

Along Lomond Ginnel some dropped kerbs have been installed to create better access to and from this busy cycle and foot path from streets such as Girvan Close (pictured below), Dalmally Close and Helmsdale.

In addition, a dropped kerb has been installed at the end of Nevis Way to enable easier access through to Cairnborrow.

The work has been funded from the Dringhouses & Woodthorpe ward budget.

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.

Revised Tadcaster Road proposals announced

Following the recent consultation on outline proposals to support cycling, walking and bus use along the Tadcaster Road corridor, City of York Council officers have reviewed the feedback and have proposed a set of revised proposals, which will be discussed at a public Decision Session on Tuesday 19th October.

Local councillors held some drop-in sessions in September to give residents an opportunity to view the £1.4 million proposals, which are funded from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transforming Cities Fund and are to be delivered as part of a wider package of measures funded by the Department for Transport’s Local Highways Maintenance Challenge Fund. Feedback from these drop-in sessions was fed in as part of the consultation.

Drop-in session held at Little Hob Moor on 18 September

The report for the Decision Session notes that a significant number of respondents were not in favour of some of the interventions intended to improve conditions for pedestrians, cyclists and bus passengers (especially the new signalised crossings), but many respondents felt that the provision for cyclists, pedestrians and bus passengers did not go nearly far enough. A number of alternative schemes were proposed, or alternative uses of the funding, including suggestions that all of the funding should be allocated to a single intervention, such as substantial modifications to Moor Lane roundabout to improve it for cyclists.

The report notes that a ‘lesson learned’ from the consultation is the need to prioritise funding to make the greatest possible overall benefit, but accepting that, at current funding levels, schemes which comply with every aspect of LTN 1/20 (Government guidance on cycle infrastructure design) may not always be possible.

Set out below are some of the recommended revisions to the initial proposals:

  • The proposal to widen the footpath from the Tyburn to the Marriott Hotel to create an off-road shared cycle / foot path has been abandoned. This seems to be in response to opposition to a shared cycle / foot path such as that proposed. The report states that creating an off-road path that would be wide enough to accommodate segregation would require the felling of 12 mature trees
  • It is proposed to explore options for ‘light segregation’ to give cyclists in the on-road cycle lane some protection
  • Proposed footpath widening near The Horseshoe has been dropped after residents queried the necessity for this
  • In response to overwhelming opposition to the proposal to relocate the bus stop from outside the Slingsby Grove shops 75 metres south, officers will look for an alternative location (hopefully in consultation with councillors, businesses and residents)

For the proposed off-road cycle lane section opposite the Slingsby Grove shops, local councillors fed back the suggestion that rather than install a new cycle path behind the layby (which more confident cyclists wouldn’t use), could the layby be moved into that area to create a ‘buffer’ to enable cyclists to continue along the road without fear of being ‘doored’. This doesn’t appear to have been considered.

Whilst there isn’t currently the money available for a major project at the Moor Lane roundabout, the report talks about options to widen the two-way cycle paths around the roundabout (many of which are very narrow) by possibly reducing the lanes on the approach roads from dual to single. This did not form part of the consultation, and it is unclear what assessment has been made of the impact of such a proposal, for example on bus reliability (which is meant to be a key aim of the overall scheme). There are concerns in particular about the possible impact that such a proposal could have on the reliability of the number 12 service during peak times, as it has to navigate the roundabout on its journeys to and from Woodthorpe.

Moor Lane approach to the Askham Bar roundabout

The report confirms that a feasibility study has been completed which considers subway options at the crossing point between York College and Tesco. A viable layout has been developed but not progressed due to an estimated cost of £1.5 million which is beyond what is available and would not fit with the funding conditions. A subway option would also be subject to land take and further design, assessment and consultation as part of a later phase of work.

E-scooters and e-bikes installed at Moor Lane Youth Centre

Three e-scooters and two e-bikes have been installed outside Moor Lane Youth Centre on Wains Road and are available for hire. This is the second location in Dringhouses & Woodthorpe ward at which e-scooters and e-bikes have been installed, with the other being on Tadcaster Road near the Holiday Inn.

The e-scooters – provided by the operator Tier – are part of a Government trial in which York is currently participating. Users need to download an App in order to use the e-scooters and e-bikes. More information is available HERE

E-scooters and e-bikes must not be used on footpaths. If any residents see them being used in an illegal manner, or being damaged, they should call Tier on 0808 164 9486 or e-mail support@tier.app Each e-scooter and e-bike has a registration number.

Residents have their say on Tadcaster Road proposals

On Saturday 18 September Dringhouses & Woodthorpe ward councillors held two drop-in sessions for residents to have their say about proposed cycle, walking and bus improvements along the Tadcaster Road corridor, as part of a consultation which closed on 19 September.

Ward councillors were also joined by a member of the council’s iTravel team

The morning session was held on Little Hob Moor and the afternoon session on Hunters Way. Set out below is the feedback received from residents who wrote their comments on post-it notes and stuck them onto the relevant maps.

A1 – The Mount near Dalton Terrace

Afternoon session:

  • Priority for cyclists at outbound junctions with Mill Mount Court and Mill Mount
  • The current off-road provision outbound is difficult to use, many cyclists use the road

A2 – Mount Vale to near Knavesmire Road

Morning session:

  • Existing segregated cycle / foot path should be retained in its current layout – don’t remove the white line
  • All pedestrian crossings should be on raised platforms to slow traffic
  • Concern that having too many crossing points will worsen traffic congestion and air pollution, which affects cyclists and pedestrians
  • Oppose removal of Trentholme Drive filter lane
  • Removal of sections of bus lane on The Mount is pointless and unsafe
  • Oppose loss of central areas which provide safe space for right-turning cyclists
  • Please add traffic lights back to the bus lane at the top of The Mount as congestion is awful with taxis rather than buses halting traffic
  • Need yellow lines on Knavesmire Road

Afternoon session:

  • Protected cycle lane needed inbound from St Georges Place

A3 – Tadcaster Road near Pulleyn Drive

Morning session:

  • For Pulleyn Drive, and for Nelsons Lane, please reinstate the central area for outbound right-turning cyclists – move kerbs back to allow
  • Cycle path from Knavesmire Road outbound should be two-way
  • Need to educate road-users on why the changes have been made and the benefits
  • Clear signage to indicate where paths are shared use
  • All good for me

Afternoon session:

  • Fill in potholes in existing cycle paths
  • Keep cycle lane around the corner from Knavesmire Road onto Tadcaster Road
  • Why not create an off-road cycle path on the inbound side of the road?
  • Happy with shared used proposal, just like Sustrans routes which are shared with no markings
  • No segregation will put pedestrians at risk from ‘racing’ cyclists
  • Could northbound and southbound cyclists be segregated?

A4 – Tadcaster Road near Nelsons Lane

Morning session:

  • Will proposed new pedestrian crossing be a toucan?
  • Need right-turn box for outbound cyclists turning into Nelsons Lane
  • Maintain cycle /pedestrian segregation markings on ‘shared’ path
  • Not enough space for two-way cycle and walking
  • Nelsons Lane crossing is a great idea
  • Refresh off-road cycle markings

Afternoon session:

  • Will there be access points onto the proposed extended shared cycle / foot path for cyclists joining from the streets opposite, eg Chalfonts, Nelsons Lane
  • Will the new shared path be two-way for cyclists?
  • Could the new path be for cyclists only?
  • Pavements could be made more fit for purpose by cutting back vegetation

A5 – Tadcaster Road near St Helens Road

Morning session:

  • Move bus stop on St Helens Road further away from the junction
  • ‘Bypass’ for bikes outside St Edwards church for bikes to continue outbound when lights on red?
  • Need decent-width off-road cycle lane all the way along the route. Inconsistent, patchy cycle route will not tempt drivers to cycle

Afternoon session:

  • Pedestrians and cyclists need to be segregated on the proposed new path from the Tyburn to the Marriott
  • Widening the footway will encroach onto the Knavesmire. Has this been discussed and agreed with the council’s Ecology team? Does it set a precedent? The land on the other side of the fence drops down quite a bit – has this been factored in, eg have civil engineers been consulted?
  • Microprocessor Optimised Vehicle Actuation (MOVA) at the St Helens Road junction will cause more traffic hold-ups

A6 – Tadcaster Road near Slingsby Grove

Morning session:

  • At Royal Chase junction need central space for right-turning cyclists
  • Moving the bus stop would mean access to driveways at 96 & 98 Tadcaster Road would be blocked
  • Encourage school families to use the St Helens Road crossing rather than the refuge near the Fox & Roman pub

Afternoon session:

  • Multiple residents very unhappy about the proposal to relocate the bus stop to the end of their driveways (these driveways serve 3 or 4 houses set back from the road)
  • Proposed new bus stop location would be too near to the existing bus stop at the end of The Horseshoe
  • The bus stop in its current location is well-used by residents of the Royal Chase estate – leave it where it is
  • Need to think strategically about bus stop and pedestrian crossing locations in this area. Is this stop needed?  Could it be relocated further up, eg nearer the library?
  • Suggestion of a cycle lane inside the parking bays at the shops and the library
  • Why remove the trees?
  • What happens to the (Grade II listed) Pinfold?
  • The proposed short stretch of off-road cycle path behind the parking layby on the east side of Tadcaster Road will destroy green space
  • Support for the proposed cycle path behind the layby, will make it safer for cyclists
  • Whatever the outcome with the bus stop, the build-out at the junction with Slingsby Grove needs to be extended to push parking away from that junction and improve sight lines for motorists turning right out of Slingsby Grove
  • Layby and bus stop in front of the shops is a death trap – do we need a stop here so close to the stop at The Horseshoe?
  • Take bike path onto the pavement inbound – enough room for a segregated path
  • Introduce 2-hour parking limit outside shops

A7 – Tadcaster Road near The Horseshoe

Morning session:

  • Oppose removing central / hatching – safe space for right-turning cyclists
  • Retain verge width
  • Tree roots make pavement uneven near here
  • Do we need a new signalised crossing here? Maybe consider a zebra crossing or perhaps a refuge
  • Consider 20mph limit

Afternoon session:

  • Divert footpath away from the road at the Hunters Way junction to improve sight lines for motorists and cyclists pulling out onto Tadcaster Road
  • A signalised crossing here will help pedestrians and also reduce traffic speeds
  • A signalised crossing is not required here, will lead to more stationary traffic. A refuge is fine. What are the footfall stats in support of a signalised crossing?
  • The footpath width is fine as it is
  • Don’t remove right-turn filter lane for Middlethorpe Grove – useful for cyclists as well as motorists
  • Cyclists don’t just cycle in and out of town – they cycle into and out of streets off, and this needs to be factored into the thinking

A8 – Tadcaster Road near Moor Lane roundabout

Morning session:

  • An option to stay on the road for cyclists should be included and visible to drivers as not all cyclists will want to use the path
  • Are the proposed changes to the footpath / cycle path arrangements between the Moor Lane roundabout and York College really needed?
  • Move the Old Moor Lane bus stop further up Tadcaster Road
  • Other parts of the city would benefit more from cycling infrastructure improvements
  • Need to widen the segregated cycle path where Moor Lane turns left onto Tadcaster Road – blind corner and overhanging hedge
  • Do we need to remove trees from the verge in the area around the bus stop opposite York College?

Afternoon session:

  • Direct students to use the pedestrian crossing near to Yorkcraft, rather than the crossing at the College
  • More significant intervention needed at the Moor Lane roundabout to improve traffic flow and in particular to support better bus reliability

A9 – Tadcaster Road near York College

Morning session:

  • Support for widening shared cycle / foot path at ‘cemetery corner’
  • An underpass (or footbridge) for York College should be a priority. Could the existing underpass to the solar system cycle path be adapted / extended?
  • Could cycles use the Park & Ride road through to Tesco?
  • Could the Park & Ride site become a bus interchange, which would allow the bus stops on that section of Tadcaster Road to be removed
  • Need hatching on Tadcaster Road at the top of Sim Balk Lane to stop people coming from the A64 blocking the road
  • This is just an enhanced version of the current poor layout
  • How about a two-way off-road cycle lane on the racecourse side?
  • The scheme continues to put cars first

Afternoon session:

  • If trees are to be removed, new trees should be planted
  • Put the existing pedestrian crossing at York College on a speed table and make that area a 20mph zone
  • Ask Tesco to set up a small shop on the campus site to help reduce the footfall across Tadcaster Road
  • Need a pedestrian crossing at the top of Sim Balk Lane – currently no provision there
  • Support proposal for bus layby opposite York College
  • Oppose proposal for bus layby as it will delay buses
  • Close the ramp leading down to Tesco

Comments not specific to specific elements of the scheme

  • More frequent bus services would encourage greater usage
  • Scheme needs to be designed by urban design specialists, not traffic engineers
  • Look at good examples elsewhere, eg Denmark, Netherlands
  • Need a city-wide strategy, reduce space for cars if necessary, and be brave
  • Action is needed to tackle cyclists who go through red lights or cycle on footpaths. A lot of anti-cycle sentiment (a fair bit of which we heard at the drop-in sessions) stems from the perception that many cyclists flout highway rules and endanger pedestrians with no consequences

Consultation starts on Tadcaster Road improvements

A consultation has got underway on a proposed scheme to deliver improvements along Tadcaster Road aimed at supporting cycling, walking and bus travel.

The £1.4m scheme is to be funded by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transforming Cities Fund, and is planned to be delivered alongside a £5m investment by Government in improved drainage, lighting, road and footpath surfaces. These plans are at ‘feasibility’ stage and the purpose of this consultation is to inform the next stage of creating more detailed designs. Not all of the proposals included in this consultation may be feasible or affordable.

The consultation started on Monday 23rd August and ends on 19th September. Consultation materials are available online at www.york.gov.uk/TadcasterRoad

Local councillors will be holding ‘pop-up’ outdoor sessions to discuss the plans with residents on Saturday 18th September 10am to 12.30pm on Little Hob Moor (Tadcaster Road end) and 2pm to 4.30pm on Hunters Way (Tadcaster Road end).  We will also look to hold an online Q&A session in September – please e-mail Stephen Fenton (cllr.sfenton@york.gov.uk) if you’d be interested in attending.

We believe that it is vitally important that these proposals are scrutinised by residents and any concerns or new ideas flagged up which can inform the detailed design stage. It’s in everyone’s interests that we make it safer and more attractive for people to travel by cycle, on foot or by bus – getting more people out of their cars will help to reduce congestion for those residents for whom the car is their only way to get around.

We recognise that there is a limit to what can be achieved with £1.4m and some of the potential schemes considered – such as an underpass between York College and Tesco –  won’t be affordable at this stage. Transforming Cities Funding cannot be used for general road and footpath maintenance.

Some of the proposals being consulted on include:

  • Existing segregated cycle path from Knavesmire Road to Pulleyn Drive converted to shared cycle / footpath and then creation of a 3 metre shared cycle / footpath up as far as the Marriott Hotel
  • New signal-controlled pedestrian crossings near the junctions with Nelsons Lane and The Horseshoe
  • Relocation of the Slingsby Grove bus stop approximately 75 metres south
  • Relocate the bus shelter on Tadcaster Road near the Old Moor Lane junction to the back of the footway, to make it easier to see buses approaching
  • Installation of a bus layby opposite York College
  • Widening the very narrow shared cycle / footpath around ‘cemetery corner’

Please do take part in this consultation and help to make this proposed scheme as good as it can be.

Views sought on underpass lighting plan

Dringhouses & Woodthorpe Lib Dem ward councillors are seeking residents’ views on a proposal to install lighting in the Hob Moor railway underpass.

Hob Moor underpass

In recent months a number of local residents have suggested that installing lighting in the underpass would make it a safer and more pleasant route for pedestrians and cyclists. Similar comments have been made about the bridge over the railway line at Love Lane, and this too is being considered for lighting.

Cllr Paula Widdowson met on site with council officers who have subsequently liaised with Network Rail and worked up a proposal which would see LED light fittings mounted to one side of the underpass at ceiling height across the length of the structure. The light fittings would have vandal-resistant lenses and would be enabled for dimming control both remotely and manually for 24 hour illumination, so the timings and intensity of the lighting could be amended after installation.

The anticipated cost would be around £28,000 with a small proportion of this being funded by the ward budget (‘promoting community safety’ is one of the ward priorities).

Before this scheme is progressed any further, local councillors are asking residents for their views on this proposal, and in particular whether there are any concerns which would need to be taken into account before a final decision is made.

Feedback can be sent by e-mail to cllr.pwiddowson@york.gov.uk or by phone to 01904 787988.

£5 million announced for Tadcaster Road improvements

On 30 June it was announced that City of York Council has been awarded £5million by the Department for Transport to carry out repairs on Tadcaster Road, following a successful bid to the Government’s Transport Challenge Fund 2020.

Cllr Paula Widdowson at a newly-resurfaced stretch of Tadcaster Road

The additional funding will be used to carry out wholesale maintenance on Tadcaster Road, including road repairs and drainage, in order to complement works the Council has carried out in recent years such as the replacement of ageing traffic lights, better cycling measures, junction improvements and resurfacing works.

Cllr Keith Aspden, Leader of the Council, commented:

“We are pleased to be awarded £5million by the Department for Transport to carry out much-needed road improvements along Tadcaster Road. This is a key route into York, not only used for local journeys, but by millions of visitors and commuters every year. The wholesale maintenance works will help to improve traffic flow and ensure the city’s local road network is safe and more reliable for all residents”

Cllr Stephen Fenton, Lib Dem Councillor for Dringhouses and Woodthorpe, said:

“I welcome this additional funding which will enable further works on this crucial route in the city. The council has just invested over £600k in resurfacing of a large section of Tadcaster Road, and this new funding will open up opportunities to make further improvements. Whether using our Park & Ride to access the city centre, visiting York Racecourse or just cycling into town; Tadcaster Road is a pivotal route and this investment couldn’t come soon enough.”