Issue - meetings

This report advises Members of progress developing the proposals to improve the section of corridor between Hospital Fields Road and Heslington Lane and to provide a bus lane on part of Selby Road.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for City Strategy be advised to:

(i)                 Note the contents of the report and its annexes;

(ii)               Agree the revised proposals for the section of corridor between Hospital Fields Road and the property boundary of 193 Fulford Road and 3 Main Street, as shown on Annexes A1 to A3;

(iii)             Agree the proposed off-road shared-use pedestrian and pedal cycle facility on the eastern side between Hospital Fields Road and Heslington Lane;

 (iv)        Defer a decision on the on-road improvements shown on Annex A4;

  (v)        Note that no objections were received to the proposed bus lane on a section of Selby Road and agree to the scheme as shown on Annex B2.

Decision of the Executive Member for City Strategy

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      (i) For background information and for assisting in the decision making process;

(ii)               To improve conditions along this section of the corridor;

(iii) To benefit less confident cyclists and to provide an alternative facility where an on-road cycle lane is not provided;

(iv) To enable further consideration to be given to the concerns and objections and to allow discussions to be held with concerned parties as to the way forward;

(v) To benefit existing bus services, including school services, using this section of Selby Road.

Consideration was given to a report which advised Members of progress in developing proposals to improve the section of corridor between Hospital Fields Road and Heslington Lane and to provide a bus lane on part of Selby Road. The report summarised comments received following further consultation on these improvement schemes and the associated traffic orders being advertised.

Officers confirmed that this was a continuation of a report which had come before the Panel last year and that work had already commenced on part of this scheme. Large scale detailed plans of the proposals for each section of the corridor were displayed and Officers reported on the adverse comments and objections received in relation to certain sections, following advertisement of the Traffic Orders.

The Chair reported that Cllr Aspden had indicated that he would not be attending the meeting but that both Fulford Parish Council and himself were happier with the amendment that had been put forward and the officer recommendation.

Cllr D’Agorne confirmed that he had some concerns in relation to certain aspects of the scheme but he hoped further consultation would alleviate these.

The following options were then considered on how to progress the scheme and approval was sought for recommended options.

Hospital Fields Road to Heslington Lane

Option 1 is to implement the proposed improvements shown on the plans at Annexes A1 to A3.  This would enable the scheme that has been developed taking account of previous comments to be implemented.  This scheme would provide significant benefits to the various users of the corridor and is supported by most frontages and by key stakeholders and user groups.  The resultant loss of parking in front of the properties on the western side between Broadway and St Oswald’s Road is however a matter of concern to some resident of those properties, however parking is permitted in nearby side roads.

Option 2 is to amend the scheme to address the concerns raised by the above residents.  To permit parking, even at off-peak times, would result in the loss of a continuous inbound on-road cycle facility and have an adverse impact on the proposed bus lane.  As this option would have an adverse impact on the provision of suitable facilities for cyclists and, as members have previously agreed that all bus lanes should be 24 hour operation, this option is not recommended.

Option 3 is to do nothing.  In view of the agreement at previous meetings that something needs to be done, and the general support from the public for the proposed scheme, this option is not recommended.

In view of adverse comments raised and objections received to the on road improvements between St Oswald’s Road and Heslington Lane the following options were considered.

Option 1 is to implement the proposals shown on Annex A4.  In view of the comments and objections and the need to consider if and how these could be addressed, this option is not recommended at the current time.

Option 2 is to implement the off-road shared use  ...  view the full minutes text for item 91