Bollards installed to protect pedestrians on Moorcroft Road

Ward funding has been used to install a row of wooden bollards on Moorcroft Road to protect pedestrians.

In recent months there has been an increasing problem with vehicles driving over the footpath at this location in order park on the (privately owned) paved area in front of the Dick Turpin pub. On at least one occasion there has been a ‘near-miss’ where a pedestrian had to dodge a vehicle that had driven across the footpath.

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.

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

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.

New bench hit with graffiti

One of the new benches installed along the footpath beyond the southern end of the Revival estate in Dringhouses has been attacked by a graffiti ‘artist.’

Thankfully the painted metal construction of the benches makes it relatively easy to remove the graffiti, using paint-removing wipes. On his daily exercise, Cllr Stephen Fenton took the opportunity to get some more exercise by scrubbing off the graffiti.

New bench for Woodthorpe Green

In response to requests from residents, local councillors have arranged for a bench to be installed outside the Woodthorpe Green playground, funded through the ward budget.

Since lockdown began, walking around Woodthorpe has become a more popular pastime, and for some residents the opportunity to take a rest is much appreciated. This led to calls for more benches to be installed, and the Woodthorpe Community Group is now consulting residents on other possible locations.

The bench outside the playground will also be a benefit for parents or carers whose children use the playground but who have had to stand outside if they have a dog. The bench will enable the parent or carer to have a sit down and keep an eye on the kids in the playgrounds.

The next local improvement being funded by the ward budget is the resurfacing of the uneven and badly potholed path across the Green between Summerfield Road and Glenridding.

Clean Air Day, Thursday 21 June 2018

It’s Clean Air Day, which is an opportunity to find out more about air pollution, share information with friends and colleagues, and help make the air cleaner and healthier for everyone. There is information and resources available at https://www.cleanairday.org.uk/


City of York Council is about to start a consultation on plans to set up a Clean Air Zone for the city centre. You can find out more at https://www.york.gov.uk/press/article/2580/clean_air_day_21_june_2018_your_views_on_new_clean_air_zone_for_york_s_city_centre

Local Lib Dem councillor Stephen Fenton said “Clean Air Day is a chance for us to focus on what more needs to be done to encourage cycling and walking in York. Better air quality is key to that, as are improvements to cycle lanes, both on and off road.”

Stephen out and about on his bike!