Annex C – Representations received

 

Summary of Representations

Serial

Name

Date Received

Summary of Representations

1

Respondent 1

15-07-2022

Thank you for your letter for the proposal of coppergate traffic restrictions.

 

I have been in buissness for twenty seven years down coppergate and own the freehold.

 

Your proposal to make one way should have been done years ago after witnessing numerous accidents, the paths are also two narrow and need widening ,

 

They should make coppergate completely pedestrianize and hopefully this will eventually happen like fossgate ,

 

The other issue is the road is completely worn and needs re tarmacking and I know all residents and shops have issues on vibration, (due to no cushion on the road due to wear of tarmac).

 

I hope and look forward to your reply on all issues.

2

Respondent 2

18-07-2022

(Regarding the Proposed One Way Order, Cycle Lane Waiting Restrictions- Coppergate, York)

 

We fully support the move to make Coppergate a one way road- and would fully support if in the future it can be made to be cycle and pedestrian only.

We have many reasons that the current system (i.e. one way traffic), and any future moves to remove traffic from Coppergate during the restricted hours would be positive- our problems with the traffic outside our shop (which are made worse with 2 way traffic) are as follows:

•        Footpaths- the footpaths down Coppergate are very narrow, and with the amount of tourists we get flooding between Parliament Street and the Coppergate centre means that often people end up walking on the road- overflowing the footpaths.

•        Air Pollution- we find that often we get blasts of exhaust fumes coming into the shop. This can damage our stock which does consist of a large amount of ribbons (fabric elements) and wool and also is unpleasant for any customers or staff in the shop, and can be damaging.

•        Noise pollution- we find it very difficult to both hear and speak to customers (especially those who are already hard of hearing). If we have our door shut we have always found it reduces footfall (and subsequently sales), so with the door open it can be quite embarrassing and also frustrating when large noisy vehicles such as buses and cars come past.

•        Pedestrian Mobility- York has an overwhelming number of tourists in the city centre (which is great) but to anyone who doesn’t know the roads priorities it can be confusing that the pedestrian zone does not extend to Coppergate. We often hear or see near misses of pedestrians crossing outside, when buses have come close to serious incident. Cars that are visiting York- and have realised too late that there is no access up the street- try to turn round in a very narrow space at the front of our shop. It would definitely benefit from not having a ‘mixed use’ (which is visually confusing) of cycles- but also taxis and buses- but no other traffic.

•        Vibrations of traffic- Our building is very old- every time a large vehicle goes past the front of the building it can be felt throughout (not helped by a drop from a hump onto the road surface directly outside our shop) I’m sure it also impacts the church opposite too. It is a historic building and for this should be allowed some protection if possible- so the move to make it one way is at least a positive step towards this.

3

Respondent 3

20-07-2022

I would like to comment on the proposed one way order for coppergate.

I am opposed to making the restriction permanent,it doesn’t go far enough to improve the safety of pedestrians or the air quality for resident and workers on the street.

I run a business on the street and frankly the one way system makes no difference to the safety of pedestrians or cyclists,as the pavements are narrow and slope towards the carriageway for pedestrians and the cyclists still have to run the gauntlet of delivery vehicle using the carriageway to park on .

Large vehicles have always had to use most of the carriageway when negotiating the bend at the crossing from the Coppergate centre to All saints church making it unsafe for cyclists to traverse the crossing at the same time.

The cycle lane is only one way,if you are going to make it cycle friendly it needs a cycle lane on both sides.

For pedestrians, the cyclists and powered vehicles using the street are too close to the narrow pavements meaning there are many near misses from handlebars and mirrors.

I would like to see what difference the one way system has made in air quality on the street,could you supply information from the pollution monitoring outside the Three Tuns?

Congestion on Coppergate is often worse with no traffic turning into Coppergate from the Clifford street end, less vehicles are able to make a right hand turn from Coppergate onto Clifford street due to traffic now only flowing straight on Clifford street inhibiting the right hand turn.

Personally I think the whole street should be made part of the pedestrian zone to include it in the rest of the city centre and not cutting off the Coppergate centre/ Cliffords tower tourist areas from the rest of the pedestrian zone.

4

Respondent 4

29-07-2022

Just a note to let you know about our support for the proposed Coppergate scheme. We are residents of Galtres Chambers at the west end of Coppergate and have suffered badly from the vibration caused by the constant flow of heavy bus traffic up and down this road, this has much improved as the traffic has reduced and the vehicles now take a more central route along the middle of the road and avoid the manhole covers at the road sides that cause the vibrations.

Any further improvements to Coppergate would be much appreciated, particularly in improving the steep cross level problem in the narrow area of the footpath on the south side of the street near the Three Tuns pub.

5

Respondent 5

31-07-2022

thank you for contacting the cycle campaign and sharing the proposal to make Coppergate a one-way street for vehicles with the exception of cycles. We are broadly in favour of the proposed changes but have concerns about the proposed exemption for the right turn into Coppergate for cyclists, to allow cyclists to turn from Clifford Street into Coppergate. 

 

We note that this movement does not meet the guidelines laid out in LTN1/20 and puts cyclists in an exposed position in the middle of the road. Only the most confident of cyclists are going to be willing to undertake this movement.

 

We would appreciate you exploring the following suggestions:

 

•        Reinstating cycle access along Castlegate, thereby providing a safe route for cyclists approaching Coppergate from the south.

•        Adding a painted island and bollard/island in the centre of the road on Clifford Street, to provide protection from vehicles passing either side whilst cyclists are waiting to turn right into Coppergate.  

 

We'd also like to ask that the planter that has been positioned at the Clifford St end of Coppergate is re-positioned, to allow 1.5m on either side and provide access for trikes, cargo-cycles etc.  And although the flowers are lovely it needs to be noted that a structure of this size and height means that someone riding a recumbent cycle and approaching from Clifford St cannot see if any pedestrians are at the zebra crossing, and similarly they can't see if someone on a recumbent cycle is approaching.

 

Meanwhile, as you are no doubt aware, the area on the Clifford St side of the planter has quickly become an unofficial drop-off and pick-up space for vehicles. This is dangerous and sometimes blocks the passage for cycles completely. We would appreciate it if you can redesign this area to prevent it being used by vehicles in this way. One suggestion might be to move the planter behind the crossing into Coppergate and put bollards on what would be the ‘natural’ kerb line between ousegate and Clifford Street?

 

Thank you for allowing us to provide feedback. Please get in touch if you need further clarification on any of the above, or would like to discuss any of it in more detail.