Consultants sneering comments about residents safety concerns
Consultants have advised the York Council, to change the design of (or scrap altogether) over 600 cycle barriers which protect pedestrians from those who misuse foot and cycle paths in the City.
Areport recommends that around £200,000 a year is spent “modernising” the barriers, many of which date back over 50 years (and are, generally, still in a serviceable condition).
While some barrier designs are awkward for cyclists to manoeuvre around, most simply serve to control speed at junction points.
Several are located in a way which prevents young children cycling straight onto busy roads.
The cycle path access at Thanet Road (see video) is an example of a junction where a better barrier design is desirable (as is maintenance of the path surface which disappears into a muddy hole.
And that is the real issue.
Highway and path maintenance standards are at an all time low. Potholes make progress unnecessarily hazardous for a range of road users not least those who use wheelchairs. Sorting that problem should be the first call on the Councils limited finances.
While there has been no consultation with local residents associations, the Council says that it will “be working in partnership with academics from the University of Westminster as part of a research project to monitor the impact of changes to barriers”
Just what we don’t need – more academics monitoring how we chose to move around.
Sadly, it seems that priorities are increasingly determined in the City by whichever pressure group shouts loudest.
One example is the extraordinarily complicated design of the bus stop cycle path by pass lane opposite Slingsby Grove.
Over a 30-minute period today only one out of every 10 cyclists actually used the path with most opting to ride on straight down the carriageway. The cycle path was used only by a few pedestrians (there is a separate footpath).
It’s a good example of, no doubt well well-intentioned but expensive ideas, which failed to recognise the realities of the everyday lives of the average resident. Tens of thousands of pounds were spent on that section of Tadcaster Road while, less than a ½ mile away, much-needed safety improvements had to be shelved when the money ran out.
The Council should consult locally on any changes to cycle barriers.
It should proceed at a measured pace if there is a consensus on what improvements are required at a particular location.
It’s not just the cycle paths in West York that are obstructed by overgrowth.
There is a similar problem on the A1079 near Dunnington where the path is also obstructed. A video has emerged of an elderly cyclist heroically trying to cut back the overgrowth to allow safe passage.
Volunteers really shouldn’t have to do this work. Specialist equipment, owned by the York Council and by Highways Yorkshire, could make short shift of removing obstructions.
Some Councillors are concerned about declining maintenance standards but sadly not, it appears, those who have executive powers to do something about the issue.
Volunteer trying to clear obstructed path near Dunnington
Many of the white safety markings on roads, foot and cycle paths have worn to the point where they have disappeared.
The York Council made provision in its budget to refresh the lines and the expectation was that work would have been completed before the darker evenings set in.
With the clocks going back today, it is obvious now that the programme is delayed.
White lines are an important safety feature on our highways and should be kept in good condition.
We were pleased to see that the long running saga of blocked cycle paths may be reaching its end.
Sections of the cycle path which runs along the side of the A64 from Tadcaster to York have been obstructed for much of the summer. The section near the A1237 was effectively blocked from the beginning of the month. We were therefore pleased to see today that Highways Yorkshire had finally taken action to reopen the route.
Cycle path blocked 18/8/21
Cycle path clear 20/8/21
There was a similar situation at the Tesco roundabout on Tadcaster Road. There Cllr Stephen Fenton was amongst several who made representations about obstructions. This has been a repetitive problem over the years.
Now overgrowth has been trimmed back near the entrance to the vaccination centre and on the other side of the road
Obstructions on path near vax. centre
Path cleared today
Hedge trimmed back on Tadcaster Road roundabout
We hope that the authorities will use the winter period to dig out, or at least treat, the nettles and thistles which seem to disrupt pedestrian and cyclist movement every summer.
There are also issues on the cycle path at Bishopthorpe which need to be remedied.
We’ll be checking that the blocked approach to one of the disabled access gates on Hob Moor – reported several weeks ago – has also been cleared.
The current period of fair weather has prompted high growth rates on grassed areas.
The surge in growth seems to have caught the Council out with mowing schedules inadequate to ensure that areas used for ball games are kept tidy.
There have already been some criticisms of the grass in parks in west York not being cut. Some have – rightly – not being mowed to ensure that meadowland is created to help pollinators. But the neglect of sports pitches remains unexplained by the Council.
Another Council department is encouraging active sports and leisure activities particularly among younger people. They will find this more difficult if grass is not cut.
Some amenity areas are being cut this week while some sports pitches remain unusable
It isn’t just sports pitches where a lack of maintenance is evident.
Once again cycle paths are becoming overgrown. It is usually the same ones each year with Tadcaster Road being the stand out example.
Some visibility splays at road junctions also haven’t been trimmed this year.
Cycle tracks are obstructed while some visibility splays need trimming for safety reasons
The Council should update residents on its planned maintenance schedules
It looks like more of the road restrictions introduced in the summer, as part of the Councils reaction to the COVID crisis, will be dropped.
The most criticised restriction – closure of Bishopthorpe Road – was scrapped a couple of months ago, although officials are now threatening to revive the idea as part of “a review of the Local Transport Plan”.
A reportto a meeting taking place next week provides an insight into how travel habits have changed in the City since COVID struck.
The most recent monitoring data, for September, shows that AM peak traffic volumes are around 80% of pre-lockdown, with the PM peak around 85% of pre-lockdown levels. Between the peaks, and at weekends, vehicle trips are down by around 5-10%. Bus use is 50-60% of pre-lockdown levels.
There is some bad news for the cycling lobby.
“Cycling levels appear to have fallen by around 30% in the peaks, whilst interpeak levels are not changed in comparison to the same period last year. It is likely that fewer people are commuting to and from work by bike or cycling to the railway station for onward travel by train, offset by higher levels of exercise/ leisure cycling”.
The report pointedly fails to comment on pollution and air quality levels in the City. These continue to be at record low levels (so probably don’t suit a doom and gloom narrative).
click to access
Several of the “emergency” schemes involved little more than putting out more traffic cones. Those in the Marygate and Monk Bar car park were largely unnecessary. The £10,000 a month taxi shuttle service for disabled people from the latter continues to run although it is little used. Most of the 40 parking spaces lost at Marygate are set to be restored as part of a new scheme to install a permanent cycle path link to Bootham.
Of the others, the report recommends
The temporary one way restriction on Coppergate is extended
The temporary cycle lane at Castle Mills Bridge on Tower Street is removed (only 3% of users are cyclists and there is an alternative, off road, route along the riverside)
The proposed scheme for improvements to York’s North – South cycle route is taken forward to implementation, with a proposed restriction on Navigation Road
The proposed scheme for improvements to cycle lanes on Bootham is taken forward to implementation, with a consultation commenced on the rest of the Shipton Road cycle lane scheme, including the element which would require changes to residents’ parking on parts of Bootham.
North – South cycle route
The Council has not heard whether its plea for funding a further tranche of works will be approved. These include the very expensive, but desirable, cycle bridge over the river and railway on the A1237 as well as some more eccentric ideas (a cycle path for Dunnington to the City centre).
Despite the lack of obvious government enthusiasm for the Councils plans, the authority intends to spend £40,000 on further development of the ideas.
As we have said many times, one of the main criticisms of the Councils transport polices over the last 12 months has been its total insensitivity to the state of repair of the existing infrastructure.
Infrastructure is decaying
That is particularly true of cycle paths many of which are obstructed by potholes, weeds, and hedges. White lines have worn away, signage has faded and, in some cases, disappeared altogether.
It is that neglect that is limiting the expansion of walking and cycling numbers in the City.
Capital expenditure (funded by borrowing) is limited to providing or improving assets with an extended lifespan. Resurfacing existing paths could fall within that definition.
The suspicion is that the executive Councillors favour high profile vanity projects simply because they provide an opportunity for a good “Photo Op”.
The reduction in the numbers cycling is one symptom of poor prioritisation
….but remains inactive on weeds, hedges and other obstructions
The York Council will discuss next week whether to continue a trial which is aimed at removing ice from some cycle paths. A report says that a two tractors operated last winter brushing snow and ice for a small number of off road cycle tracks .
None of these were in the Acomb, Westfield or rural areas.
Cycle paths treated to prevent icing 2019/20
Only a small part of the Tadcaster Road cycle path was treated. “The routes were approximately 18km & 25km long and started and finished at Hazel Court James Street (see map). The service completed 59 runs in total using 9000 litres of pathway KA, the structure friendly non-corrosive solution, and 12000 litres of Probrine, effectively a salt water brine mix”.
The cost of doing the work was £47,000.
According to the report, the City of York Council Cycle Officer says feedback from cyclists can be summarised as “the trial is a vast improvement and that they’d like it extending to other parts of the network which were not included in the trial”.
The winter was (again) relatively mild without sustained periods of sub zero temperatures.
Cyclists in the suburbs and villages will view this report with some scepticism. Once again there seems to have been no objective attempt made to identify the needs of longer distance and leisure cyclists in west York.
Too many off road paths are impeded by weeds, thorn bushes and detritus. Several are now badly rutted. No regular maintenance inspections take place.
The York Council must start taking the needs of all cyclist seriously. Otherwise it will be guilty of posturing.
It should start by increasing the number of inspections that it undertakes.
It should also agree a routine maintenance programme covering sweeping, weed treatment and hedge cutting on off road paths.
It must also acknowledge that periodically it will have to renew notices and refresh white lines. At the moment many of these have just faded away.
Weeds obstruct Tadcaster Road cycle pathMore weeds breaking up the path surfaceThorn branches are hazard on cycle pathsDetritus on oaths which are not regularly sweptMore detritus
Face masks will have to be worn in shops from today. It remains to be seen how effective this government policy will be.
What is now clear is that some of the impulsive decisions taken a couple of months ago, at the peak of the pandemic by the York Council, have not met the test of time.
Tinkering with traffic systems without proper consultation or impact assessments was always a recipe for failure.
Crucially no attempt was made to define how success would be measured.
So how have they fared?
Bishopthore Road lane closure
This was intended to provide queuing space for shoppers. It was claimed that it would make social distancing easier.
Critics pointed to new hazards for cyclists on the contraflow lane, increased congestion & pollution on alternative routes and a missed opportunity to trial an off peak pedestrian area (10:30am – 4:00pm) approach.
The results have been disappointing with the alternative Nunnery Lane/Blossom Street/ Scarcroft Road suffering for increased congestion. Bus services have been adversely affected. There has been short cutting through residential areas like St Benedict Road where parking is also now a problem
There is little footpath queuing on the east of the shopping area. The forecourted shops on the other side have adequate space although bollards have reduced flexibility.
Verdict – scrap it
An ill considered scheme which missed the opportunity that part time pedestrianisation might have offered.
Fortunately there have been no accidents involving cyclists yet, although northbound traffic levels remain below average (as they do across the whole of the highway network)
Reduced social distancing requirements (now one metre rather than two) and the introduction of face masks should lead to this trial being abandoned. A more thorough consultation on the options for the Bishopthorpe Road area could then take place.
Bollards have not improved social distancing on Bishopthorpe RoadProblems with car parking and short cutting through the St Benedict’s Road area
Foss Bridge
One of the general traffic lanes across Foss Bridge on the inner ring road was repurposed for cyclists (southbound) . The lane had been coned off while maintenance work on the bridge was carried out in the early spring.
Most cyclists opt to use the riverside off road path. Comparatively few choose to use the inner ring road.
Verdict – retain and consult on its future
There has been little congestion on this section of the inner ring road although general travel patterns are not expected to return to pre COVID levels before September.
The cycle lane has been obstructed on occasions by delivery drivers, taxi pick ups etc. so the solution is less than perfect.
Vehicle numbers on this section of the inner ring road greatly exceed the number of cyclists
Monk Bar car park disabled spaces
The Council allocated 40 spaces at the Monk Bar car park for blue badge holders when additional access & parking restrictions were introduced in the City centre (e.g. Goodramgate). A “free” taxi service link to the rear of Kings Square is offered. The decision – like several others – was taken by the Councils acting chief executive with no prior consultation.
Blue badge holders can park on single yellow lines and park free of charge at Council car parks.
The little used taxi service is costing taxpayers £354 a day.
It appears that no attempt was made to assess the demand for disabled parking spaces at Monk Bar or for the taxi link. The Council didn’t specify the use of low emission vehicles on the taxi contract
Typically no more than five blue badge holders are parking at Monk Bar at any one time. The remaining general parking spaces are being increasingly used but the car park has yet to reach the full occupation levels seen before the pandemic. The Council has also recently allocated more on street parking spaces for blue badge holders in streets like Duncombe Place.
While the initiative was well intentioned, the Council hopelessly misjudged the demand for the service.
Verdict – revise the scheme
The number of reserved spaces can be reduced and the taxi link abandoned. Consultations can take place with disabled group representatives and traders on other options. These might include a “home to city centre” subsidised taxi service for the disabled where costs are recompensed when goods are bought.
Monk Bar blue badge spaces unusedNarrow access path at Monk Bar car park. No provision made for social distancing (see Maygate below)
Marygate car park
Around 40 parking spaces have been cordoned off. The Council claimed it was to allow cyclists to avoid joint use of the footpath (which links Scarborough Bridge to Bootham Terrace). In turn this helped to maintain a two metre social distancing zone.
The scheme was criticised when proposed because if failed to assess the effectiveness of the obvious alternative (encouraging cyclists to use the internal car park service road) which would have involved the loss of only one parking space.
There were bigger problems on other routes from Scarborough Bridge both at the north (Marygate) end of the bridge and crucially at the station itself. A narrow tunnel connects the shared cycle/footpath to Bootham Terrace.
The introduction of one metre social distancing guidelines and the use of face masks will reduce any health threat.
Observations at the car park suggest that the cycle route through the parking spaces is very little used (with some cyclists opting to use the service road anyway).
The car park has been busy on occasions but has not yet reached capacity. This may change if August is as busy as it has been in the past
Verdict – amend the scheme to allow cyclists to use the car park service road.
There is no Coronavirus heath justification for routing cyclists through car parking spaces. The break in the perimeter fence can be retained – and one place bollarded off – to allow access via the service road to Bootham Tce and Almery Garth. A ramp to St Mary’s – promised but never delivered – would be a useful for both cyclists and disabled buggy users.
The Council should sort out an acceptable route for cyclists wishing to access the route from Scarborough bridge to Lowther Tce (long term plans for the station frontage remodelling need to recognise this demand)
Conned off section on Marygate car park is little used by cyclistsNo cycling when you reach the station
The council has published details of the footpaths, cycle routes and carriageways that it plans to resurface in July, August and September.
There is more than a little irony in some of the choices. Bishopthorpe Road – part of which is currently closed to traffic – will be resurfaced. Tadcaster Road is mentioned although this work has effectively been completed.
£408,000 is to be spent on the National Cycle Route 65. The local part of this route links Selby via York to north of Skelton. The section from Naburn to Riccall has been criticised as being virtually impassable for ordinary road bikes because fo tree root damage. It is understood, however, that this is not the section that will be reconstructed. (NB. A section of Terry Avenue is likely to be badly affected by flood prevention works over the next 2 years)
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