Issue - meetings

This report informs the Executive of progress to date of the various stages of the Footstreets Review, commissioned to assess the current operation of the pedestrianised area and suggest improvements which could be made to it. 

RESOLVED: (i)         That the progress thus far with the Footstreets review be noted.

                        (ii)        That Option 1 – to progress all four suggested schemes concurrently to a point where a city-wide consultation can be undertaken – be supported and that Officers be requested to bring a further report to Members once detailed options have been developed.

REASON:      In order to achieve the improvements identified in the report, subject to appropriate consultation with residents and other stakeholders.

                        (iii)       That Option 4 – to continue investigation of some of the schemes with a longer lead in time – be supported, and that Officers be requested to push ahead as quickly as is practicable in their consultation on the possible pedestrianisation of part of Fossgate.

REASON:      In order to assess the wider implications of these schemes and to provide a quicker and more positive response to the request from Fossgate traders.

Members considered a report which informed them of progress to date on the Footstreets Review, which had been commissioned to assess the current operation of the pedestrianised area of the City and to suggest potential improvements.

The review had been carried out in four phases, as outlined in paragraph 7 of the report.  The main issues identified during the consultation exercises and surveys undertaken in Phases 2 and 3, by external consultants Halcrow, were set out in paragraph 9.  In order to achieve the objectives of the review – to increase use of the Footstreets whilst reducing abuse and misuse – a ‘toolkit’ of potential solutions had been prepared, comprising a number of short, medium and long term interventions.  Short term interventions had been prioritised to determine those which could be progressed during 2010/11.  These ‘first stage’ schemes were listed in Table 2 in paragraph 14 of the report and included:

·        Standardising Footstreet operation hours

·        Extending the Footstreet operation period

·        Investigating the practicalities of removing signing and lining

·        Trial of cycle access along designated routes in the Footstreets zone

Other short term schemes that would involve more work over longer timescales were listed in Annex A.

Members were invited to consider the following options:

Option 1 – progress scheme development and consult on detailed proposals for all the schemes listed in Table 2.

Option 2 - progress scheme development and consult on detailed proposals for some of the schemes listed in Table 2.

Option 3 – reject the proposed schemes or progress others from the list in Annex A.

Option 4 – continue further investigation of other schemes with longer lead in times.

Members acknowledged the issues raised under Public Participation on this item and stressed that the cycle access trial should be carried out on a street where the kerb line had been retained, in order to provide clear delineation. 

RESOLVED: (i)         That the progress thus far with the Footstreets review be noted.

                        (ii)        That Option 1 – to progress all four suggested schemes concurrently to a point where a city-wide consultation can be undertaken – be supported and that Officers be requested to bring a further report to Members once detailed options have been developed. ¹

REASON:      In order to achieve the improvements identified in the report, subject to appropriate consultation with residents and other stakeholders.

                        (iii)       That Option 4 – to continue investigation of some of the schemes with a longer lead in time – be supported, and that Officers be requested to push ahead as quickly as is practicable in their consultation on the possible pedestrianisation of part of Fossgate. ²

REASON:      In order to assess the wider implications of these schemes and to provide a quicker and more positive response to the request from Fossgate traders.