City centre streets have been particularly busy over the half-term holidays. Although this is good news for the local economy, some conflicts have reemerged for the first time since the end of the pandemic.
The Council has said that the road works on Petergate and Lendal will extend now for another 2 or 3 weeks.
The access path on Petergate remains single file only and is inaccessible for some types of wheelchair.
That is disappointing
Elsewhere cycle parking spaces have been at a premium. The need for better facilities has been generally accepted for some years now but a solution remains illusive.
But the elephant in the room remains the election promise of some new Labour Councillors who want to allow vehicular access, (Blue Badge holders) into some footstreets.
They refused to say which streets they meant before the elections but some charities – who claim to be representative of the views of people with disabilities – have since said that they “want access and parking in line with the 2019 arrangements”.
In 2019 blue badge parking access was allowed on
- Goodramgate (between Deangate and King’s Square)
- King’s Square
- Church Street
- Colliergate
- Blake Street
- St Helen’s Square
- Lendal
Other streets, including St Sampsons Square, Coney Street and Davygate, were already part of the core foot street zone by 2019.
Irrespective of any views that might be held on terrorist threat levels, the simple fact is that many streets, including Davygate and Church Street, are now so crowded with pedestrians that any vehicle movement represents a hazard. The most vulnerable are young children and, ironically, those using mobility aids.
We doubt that there is a compromise that will suit everyone. However, a system which requires a kerbside parking space to be booked in advance, would at least control the number of vehicles “touring” the pedestrian area in search of a vacant space.
York News Focus 