Appalling litter problem on cycle path at Tadcaster Road underpass
Leaves and detritus pose hazard for cyclists near Tesco
We’ve asked for a litter clean up on the York – Selby cycle track. It is badly littered with graffiti adding to the problems.
Further long Tadcaster Road the dedicated cycle track is covered in leaves representing a hazard to users.
It looks like Labour Councillors want to spend another £1/4 million on a 3 day cycling event next May. One of the stages of the new “Tour de Yorkshire” will finish in York with several local sprint races planned.
Taxpayers will be expected to pick up the bill, from the commercial rights owners, for a whopping £100,000 “hosting fee” for the event,.
A report which is being considered tomorrow, by the Councils Cabinet, shows no sponsorship or admittance fees aimed at offsetting the bills.
A decision will apparently be made before the Inquiry into the disastrous Grand Departy flop is completed.
Organisers were forced to admit a couple of months ago that the Huntington Stadium event – staged separately from the Tour de France start – had lost over £186,000. An inquiry into the event was subsequently ordered by the Council’s scrutiny committee.
The same Council Cabinet agenda talks of major cuts to basic service standards.
Road surfaces already breaking up
£1.3 million a year will be cut from social care budgets.
As well as the much publicised proposals to charge for green bin emptying and move to 4 weekly residual waste collections, Labour are now admitting that more cuts are planned to open space maintenance.
Volunteers will apparently be expected to maintain bowling greens, tennis courts, flower beds and undertake rose planting. The report says that the “replacement of bedding plants with ornamental grass at 18 sites could potentially save 1,519 hours of labour”.
Ominously the report talks of York’s roads and footpaths being “better than average” suggesting that further cuts in maintenance standards are planned.
Many residents will view with incredulity any proposals which would allow a further deterioration in the standard of highways surfaces.
North Yorkshire Police and City of York Council have joined forces to help keep cyclists safe this winter.
During the dark nights, North Yorkshire Police’s Cycle Response Team are handing out free LED cycle lights to people who they stop riding without them while out on patrol.
Officers are giving the lights, which have been supplied by City Of York Council’s Road Safety Team, to people cycling alone to help keep them safe.
Not everyone officers stop will be entitled to the cycle lights. They will be given to youngsters or other vulnerable people who would otherwise have to walk home if they were forced to continue their journey without lights.
Officers are also giving out reflective back pack covers.
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Surfaces are cracking, rusting barriers need a coat of paint while some routes are now completely blocked by overhanging bushes.
The Council needs to get its supervision and maintenance procedures sorted out
Bushes block cycle path
Cycle barriers need painting
This summer is all about cycling, as the Tour de France came to York, and yellow fever has well and truly griped Yorkshire.
There are rides for everyone with three different levels on offer – you certainly don’t need to be a pro rider to take part! There’s something for everyone – whether you’re building your confidence or looking to stretch your legs on a cycling challenge.
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With the Tour de France coming to York on 6 July, City of York Council in partnership with British Cycling and Sky is inviting residents who have been inspired by the great race to sign up to a series of free guided bike rides around the city.
The Council says, “Ahead of Stage 2 of the 2014 Tour de France starting in York Sky Ride Local offers people the chance to join organised, guided rides of varying distances and difficulties. These range from easy-going spins around picturesque parts of York through to ‘steady’ and ‘challenging’ rides, for those seeking a little more adventure.”
The next rides coming up are:
Date: 12 July
Time: 1pm
Location: York Cycle Circuit. Meet at York Sports Village, Lakeside Way
Date: 13 July
Time: 10am
Location: Solar System ride: To the planet Pluto and back. Meet at Rowntree Park
Date: 23 July
Time: 1pm
Location: Solar System ride: To the planet Pluto and back. Meet at Rwontree Park
What’s more, residents who take part in two or more Sky Ride Local rides in July can grab themselves some great British Cycling gifts, including water bottles, neck Buffs and the chance to win a VIP cycling experience to the Tour of Britain this September.
To register for one of these rides and for more information about Sky Ride Local and other bike riding opportunities in York this summer visit www.goskyride.com/York
For more information on the Tour de France and cycling in York visit www.york.gov.uk/tourdefrance
Yorkshire theatre company 509 Arts has announced the premier in York and tour dates for its free performances of Bike Story, a brand new outdoor theatre production based on stories from the public about cycling.
The show, commissioned by Yorkshire Festival 2014 and presented in association with City of York Council, will tour festivals and town centres throughout Yorkshire. During the run up to this year’s Grand Départ, it will be staged in venues including Rowntree Park in York, Hull, Doncaster, Leeds, Grassington, Saltaire, Ilkley, Harrogate, Halifax and Hebden Bridge and is free to the public.
A series of informative videos have been created to promote cycling in a safe and courteous manner around York.
The videos, which are part of the i-Travel York initiative, feature an alien cycling along some of York’s well known cycle tracks, giving tips and advice to cyclists along the way.
The videos encourage cyclists to ride with lights, lock their bike securely and ride on the road and designated cycle paths.
The project is supported by the council’s four-year i-Travel York initiative, made possible by £4.6 million of government funding which the council successfully bid for in 2011.
The videos can be viewed at
http://www.york.ac.uk/admin/estates/transport/cycling/security/meet-the-alien/
On September 14 Sky Ride York will take to the historic streets of York. Due to the size and scale of the event there will be some temporary traffic and transport changes to ensure the safety of everyone taking part.
click for more details
Residents and visitors are urged to make use of the city’s extensive Park and Ride network on the day, particularly by using the Park and Pedal facilities at the Designer Outlet, Grimston Bar, Rawcliffe Bar and Monks Cross.
If people are unsure on which route to take to join the Sky Ride there are two Sky Ride social rides leading into the city centre setting off from Rawcliffe Bar Park and Ride and The York Sport Village (behind Grimston Bar P&R) at 9am and 9.30am respectively. These rides will be lead by trained Sky Ride local ride leaders. For more info on the rides go to: http://www.goskyride.com/Search/
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