Meeting With Kate Ravilious, Executive Member for Transport on 19th March

This month, members of the Campaign met up with Kate Ravilious, Executive Member for Transport at City of York Council. Kate was kind enough to share details of her department’s upcoming transport projects which had a bearing on cycling. What follows is a summary, from our notes, which is no way exhaustive and is entirely without nuance! All the details will be shared by the council in due course, as the projects come to fruition.

Kate began her presentation by sharing two items of good news. First that despite recent reports to the contrary, cycling rates in York have recovered to pre-pandemic levels and were showing an upward trend. This data has been aggregated from all the automatic data collection points that the council operates on a continual basis, rather than from a simple one-day survey which earlier headline figures reporting a decline were based on. Other good news was that York has seen a 25% decline in cycle theft in the last year, thanks to effective police action against prominent offenders and the good work of Securecycle York – a project created by our very own Leah Bennett!

Next up was an update on the Rougier Route. Kate thanked the campaign and its members for our responses. The project in now with the officers who are making amendments in the light of the public consultation, ready for approval by the council’s executive in May. If all goes to plan, the trial will begin this Autumn, though it will be suspended for the duration of the Lendal Bridge works in Spring 2027.

Secure on-street cycle lockers

Kate then went on to outline some of the larger expenditure items under the council Capital programme. Chief among these will be the introduction of secure cycle lockers at different locations throughout the city – including city centre, residential and Park and Ride locations. The aim is to create a keyless app-based system where a single subscription can access lockers in multiple locations. Additionally, when a neighbourhood switches to Respark, residents will be offered a package that includes secure cycle locker access as well as car club membership. Introduction of lockers is expected to start this summer.

Safe Routes to School

There are four locations under consideration for safe routes to schools projects – Osbaldwick, Millfield Lane around Manor School, Copmanthorpe School and Hamilton Drive. The Hamilton Drive project appears to be the most comprehensive with 2 new pedestrian crossings, 20mph speed tables with ANPR cameras. A new Active Travel Officer has been recruited to oversee their development.

Safer Streets

Elsewhere, the council are planning a 20mph roll out in Dunnington, plus the development of a new Active Travel neighbourhood to coincide with other regeneration measures in the area south west of Walmgate. Acomb Road and Shipton Road will get new pedestrian crossings plus a speed reduction from 40 to 30mph on the latter. After lobbying by Kate and the Police and Crime Commissioner Jo Coles, York will see its first fixed speed cameras – possibly in 20mph zones.

Renewal of Existing Infrastructure

Kate is keen to push ahead with renovation of existing facilities that have suffered from long-term neglect. These include a major reconstruction including lighting on Clifton Backies, repair of the Solar System route at the Tadcaster road end, as well as the riverside route to Jubilee Terrace. This last will involve a £1 million investment due to the need to repair a collapsing embankment. Additionally, advance stop lanes are planned to be introduced as part of the existing programme to renew traffic lights at major junctions. 

Mayor’s Active Travel Fund Bid

The council has bid for funds in a number of areas. An infrastructure bid focuses on widening the paths on Bootham Stray and the Knavesmire, as well as seeking funds to expand cycle parking for larger employers. Behavioural change initiatives include recruitment of a new business and school travel plan officer, a digital interactive cycle map and a bike loan scheme for low salary staff at York Hospital. These are obviously contingent on City of York Council making a strong case for these measures from a fund that applies to the whole of the combined authority of York and North Yorkshire.

As a campaign we are very grateful to Kate and council officers of her department for this ongoing dialogue.