Not great news for York as a cycling city this month: we have a report from a conference suggesting the city has slipped behind others in terms of provision for cycling, and an admission from the Council that cycling rates have decreased. Meanwhile, we’re not happy with the Tadcaster Road plans – seize your chance to respond to the consultation. And one we can all get behind: an invitation to report pot-holed road edges to the Council. But first, news of two upcoming cycle events.
Kidical Mass: come join our ride
Come and join York’s first ‘Kidical Mass’ cycle ride. This family friendly mass cycle ride is being organised by the campaign as part of York Environment Week, and aims to highlight the need for safe cycle routes to schools. We’ll depart Millennium Fields at 3pm on Sunday 19th September, to cycle a round trip via the Minster, returning afterwards for a picnic on the Millennium Field. Reserve your space via the York Environment Week webpage.
We need a few stewards to help manage the ride – please drop us a line at YorkCycleCampaign@gmail.com if you’d be willing to help.
Disability cycle ride
Next month we’re teaming up with Empowered People to host our annual disabled cycle ride from York. Scheduled for Sunday 17th October, we’ll be doing a city cycle ride in the morning, and a countryside cycle ride in the afternoon. We warmly welcome disabled people to come and give cycling a go, do one or both of these rides, and to enjoy a supported cycle ride. We’ll also be needing able-bodied support riders so do get in touch if you think you might be able to help. More details to follow!
Cycle Active City conference
The blog post also contains links to many of the talks which can be watched online by anyone.
Cycling rates down in York: official
Last month we spoke at the Executive meeting drawing attention to the council’s shameful manipulation of their cycle statistics. At the meeting Neil Ferris, Corporate Director of Place, was forced to admit that cycling levels had indeed declined. We also questioned the extended footstreets proposal and pointed out that it was preventing people from cycling to and through the city centre.
You can watch the proceedings on YouTube.
Tadcaster Road Proposals: First Look
A selection of members have had a look over the proposals for Tadcaster Road that are currently out for consultation- head to our blog to see what our first impressions are.
We encourage all members to respond to the consultation via the WYCA consultation page and demand a scheme that meets the Government’s latest guidelines – LTN1/20. Consultation ends: 19th September.
Your chance to improve road margins
The council’s Active Travel officer, Greg Morgan, is drawing up a list of roads to be given a road margin repair (resurfacing the metre nearest the kerb).
He’d like to hear which roads have the most pot-holed margins, so that he can prioritise the cycle routes in most urgent need of repair. Please email him with your requests!
Gillygate/Bootham closure
Emergency repairs and refurbishment work will be carried out at the Gillygate/Bootham junction from Sunday 19 September for 5 weeks. There will be full road closures for motor vehicles but pedestrians and cyclists will still be able to access the junction, with diversions through the works for cyclists clearly signed.
The cycle campaign will be asking that this closure is used as an opportunity to gather some data on the impact of closing Gillygate; in particular to understand its effect on emergency services, bus services, the wider traffic network and air quality.
Junction consultation response
In response to the TSAR (Traffic System Asset Renewal) Consultation (Heworth Green at Dodsworth Avenue) we asked the Council why they are not aiming to bring the road up to LTN1/20 standards. Christian Wood (Smart Transport Programme Manager) replied to say the guidance had been considered, but only in relation to the purpose of the scheme. This was to “replace life- expired equipment, and introduce ‘easy wins’ where possible” rather than a cycling improvement scheme
Terry Avenue
Please continue to report any problems you spot. You can contact the community liaison officer, Aimee Ramsden, (Aimee.Ramsden@jnbentley.co.uk) or drop in and see her at the site. Also copy in the Environment Agency (yorkfloodplan@environment-agency.gov.uk), York Cycle Campaign (YorkCycleCampaign@gmail.com) and if it is a breach of planning conditions then please report it to the Planning Enforcement team (planning.enforcement@york.gov.uk).
Wanted: ward reps
We’re still looking for members who might be willing to be cycle campaign representatives for city council wards across York. It could the ward you live in, the ward you work in, or the ward you regularly cycle through! We’d like to try and have representatives covering every ward in the city, helping us keep an eye on planning applications within their ward and maintaining a link with ward councillors. Could this be you?
If you’re interested please let us know by registering your ward on the member’s hub.
York Cycle Campaign 