Decision details

Following an extensive public consultation, the York Station Gateway received planning (19/00535/FULM) and listed building consent on 4th February 2021. Consequently, following the successful completion of a package (P1) of utility diversionary works, the highways works packages (P2 and P4) were tendered and awarded in summer 2023. Works on the P2 scheme began on site in October 2023 with a view to an instruction to commence P4 works in autumn 2024 once land acquisition had taken place and other funding conditions had been met.

During a project delivery update presentation to the York Access Forum (YAF) on 22nd November 2024, issues were raised by the YAF over the suitability of the scheme compliance with relevant standards in the design of the scheme, regarding cycleways and the choice of materials. The issues highlighted were particularly related to comments from residents with reduced mobility, hearing difficulties and the blind and partially sighted. The issues raised comprised:

1. The geometry of the junction at the exit to the loop road
2. The signalised crossing at the York RI
3. The design, orientation and quantity of pedestrian crossings over proposed cycleways
4. The quantity of bus stops, and location and orientation of bus shelters
5. The choice and design of traffic signals
6. The colour and type of materials in cycleways and the public realms
7. The quantity, location and type of bollards across the proposed scheme

Subsequently, further issues were raised by the York Bus Forum (YBF) on the proposal to maintain the quantity of bus stands at the present four in either direction in the proposed scheme.

To address the issues raised, the project team organised a series of consultation workshops with the Council’s Accessibility Officer, YAF and YBF throughout January to March 2024 to agree permissible changes to the design that could be made within the available time given that works were already taking place on site. These meetings were attended by accessibility and bus stakeholders, together with Council highways officers and scheme designers. By April 2024, design changes had been agreed and the project designers began work on formalising the changes in the design and in the preparation of updated construction information.

The output from this engagement and workshops delivers an updated scheme that proposes improvements to the layout of the Highway and Public Ream, incorporating recognised best practice and compliance with all relevant national guidelines.
The proposed updates to the permitted layout are itemised in Appendix 1 (to be read in conjunction with updated general arrangement drawing in Appendix 2) to this decision paper but are summarized as follows:

1. The geometry of the junction at the exit to the loop road
The YAF identified that the exit to the loop would cause issues to blind and partially sighted residents owing to a road crossing followed by a further cycleway crossing. The configuration was thought to be excessive as it would force pedestrians to cross two rather than a single trafficked space. The junction layout was amended to provide a single carriageway lane at the junction and the provision of an uncontrolled crossing and continuous footway. The impact of this change is the potential reduction in junction capacity and increased queuing on the RI loop road at the junction, especially if Queen Street is queueing from Blossom Street.

2. The signalised crossing at the York RI
The existing arrangement proposed a Y-shaped junction crossing in front of the York RI that was envisaged to facilitate movements of cycles and pedestrians. This arrangement proved contentious with both YAF and with the Council’s own signal engineers. This cycle crossing position and alignment has been updated to remove Y-shape crossing and ensure that it is in accordance with current regulations. The revised arrangement partially restricts cycle movements travelling south across the crossing and turning right onto Queen Street and travelling towards Blossom Street when compared to the previous arrangement. The new arrangement may also adversely impact queuing on Blossom Street.

3. The design, orientation and quantity of pedestrian crossings over proposed cycleways
The YAF identified several uncontrolled pedestrian crossings that owing to their non-perpendicular orientation could cause difficulties for all pedestrian users. It was also suggested that there were an excessive number of crossings causing confusion and slowing down the movement of pedestrians. The updated design rationalizes the quantity of crossings and where possible has sought to square up crossings in several locations. To increase the visibility of crossings a bollard is proposed on opposing corners of the entrance to the crossing.

4. The quantity of bus stops, and location and orientation of bus shelters
In the original design, bus shelters were located adjacent to the curb, open to the rear. The YAF explained that this orientation would cause access issues for most users, whilst the YBF suggested that it would also be more difficult for bus drivers to negotiate. In the updated design, bus shelter locations and orientation have been relocated to the back of the footways, open to the front, and shown with an updated flag and feeder pillar position.
The permitted scheme approved by the Local Planning Authority showed a relocated bus interchange moved from outside the York Station portico to occupy a redeveloped area of the Inner Ring Road in front of the arches in the City Walls once occupied by the Queen Street Bridge. The general arrangement drawing submitted showed an indicative 5 number bus stops on either side of the Inner Ring Road (see Figure 1).


Figure 1 – Permitted Scheme (attached as document)

It is stressed that this arrangement submitted to the LPA by the designers was indicative only, with the final arrangement for the bus laybys to be determined and agreed by The Council’s Public Transport Team in due course in consultation with bus partners.

The length of the proposed bus layby measures 85m (excluding layby tapers) on either side of the road. In the existing arrangement, although on the station side of the road there is a unique 3 + 1 bus stop arrangement, on the City Walls side, the existing bus layby arrangement measures 82m (excluding layby tapers). The Public Transport Team has determined that as a bus stop must be a minimum of 18m to comfortably dock at a bus stop, that 4 bus stops of 21m in length is the optimum for the proposed provided length (see Figure 2 attached as document).



Figure 2 – Bus Stop Lengths

Further guidance on the design of bus stops can be found at https://content.tfl.gov.uk/bus-stop-design-guidance.pdf which recommends considerably longer lengths than the 18m minimum length bus stands typically proposed by City of York Council. The TFL guidance is accepted as the standard and recommended to all authorities on the DfT’s Bus Centre of Excellence website (https://www.buscentreofexcellence.org.uk/). The proposed scheme is broadly comparable in length to the existing scheme and to increase the number of stands would cause significant bus congestion and raise safety and accessibility concerns.

The loop road package at the Station Gateway scheme delivers a further 3 bus stops which will contribute to future enhanced capacity. The Public Transport team is currently working with bus operators on which services should be transferred to the Loop Road stops, to further optimise future service delivery.

In planning terms, a decision to formalize an 8-bus stop configuration is a non-material change. A decision is required as to formalize the bus stop configuration outside York Station to 4 stops on either side of the Inner Ring Road with a further 3 stops on the Loop Road. However, we will be enlarging the 4 stops on either side, to increase the waiting passenger capacity by 20%.
5. The choice of traffic signals
The YAF requested the inclusion of pedestrian crossing countdown timer aspects to be installed on traffic signals. However, subsequent conversations with the Council’s traffic signals team and scheme designers ruled out this option as the proposed puffin crossing were regarded as the safest and most appropriate and are standard across the city. Whilst puffin/nearside traffic management is the Council’s Traffic signals team’s preferred option, which align with signal crossings across the city, Council is prepared to trial the use of the countdown timer signal on York Station Gateway. We believe this may reflect a longer-term preference, aligning with the new local transport strategy, which was approved by the council executive in July 2024.
6. The colour and type of materials in cycleways and the public realms
Granite setts is the proposed material for cycleways and pedestrian crossing in the consented scheme. However, YAF members challenged this choice believing it is not appropriate from an accessibility standpoint owing to the lack of colour contrast between adjacent materials. Although, the technical specification for the proposed materials conformed to guidance values for contrasting Light Reflectance Values (LRV), the YAF proposed alternative materials. After much debate, the project team agreed that a pigmented (i.e., coloured) tarmac would be the best option. The recommended colour has now been agreed as green with YAF, which complies with LTN 1/20 guidance. Artist impressions of this colour, as well as terracotta (which was also considered) and the proposed granite, are shown in Appendix 2 of this paper. This decision was further supported through more recent feedback from charity Wheels for Wellbeing and RNIB.
7. The quantity, location, and type of bollards across the proposed scheme
In the consented scheme, there are two bollard types proposed: those to secure the front of the station from Hostile Vehicle (HVM) attacks, and those to prevent unlawful parking. Owing to obstructions caused by bollards, YAF proposed that where possible, any unnecessary vehicle parking deterrent bollards be removed from the scheme. In reviewing the scheme, the project team has sought to rationalize the use of parking bollards. The YAF accepted that the number of HVM bollards could not be reduced, removed, or relocated.

Though not an accessibility issue, this paper also seeks a further decision on the manufacturer choice of bus shelter to be installed in the scheme.
In York, many bus shelters are currently supplied and maintained by a company known as JCDecaux as an advertising concession, including those shelters located to the front of York Station. It is the project team’s understanding that in considering re-awarding the current contract with JCDecaux, The Council was unable to justify making a direct contract award is now carrying out a competitive tender. This process will not be completed within the Station Gateway project timescales. Consequently, this will result in the removal of the existing four shelters at the station on completion of the existing contract if it is not renewed.
The York Station Gateway scheme requires eight number new bus shelters to be installed in autumn 2024. Following prior work carried out by the Public Transport Team, a bespoke high quality shelter design had been agreed with a company known as Etesian Green (see Appendix 6). This has been proposed for the Station Gateway scheme as an alternative to the JCDecaux shelters. It is the project team’s understanding that these shelters would cost £18,000 each, and a total of £144,000 for the eight shelters. The project team is happy to accept this proposed shelter and the project consultants, Arup, and delivery contractor, Sisk, have confirmed that this shelter is suitable for installation at the site.

There is a 12-week lead in period for the delivery of the Etesian Green bus shelter and the contractor has factored this into its programme. The contractor can procure the shelters on The Council’s behalf although a management fee will be applied.

A decision is required as to whether to proceed with an instruction to the contractor, Sisk, to procure and supply the Etesian Green bus shelters for the York Station Gateway scheme at a sum of £144k + fees (circa £20k). The cost of the shelters will be covered from the schemes existing funding resources.

This decision paper seeks five decisions as follows:
1. Accept the proposed geometrical and junction design changes to the permitted scheme so that an instruction can be provided to the Package 2 delivery contractor to construct the updated design.

2. Accept the proposal to maintain the current number of bus stands in the proposed scheme as 4 stops in either direction plus three new stands on the proposed loop road but increase waiting passenger capacity of bus shelters by 20%.

3. Accept the proposed Etesian Green shelter to be installed across the site to allow Package 2 delivery contractor to place an order for this product.

4. Accept the proposed changes to the materiality of the permitted scheme so that an instruction can be provided to the Package 2 delivery contractor to order and construct the updated layout using these materials, including the decision to substitute granite sets in the cycle way to a green-coloured tarmac.

5. Accept the use of countdown timer traffic signals as a pilot scheme, on York Station Gateway.

A Proceed with the permitted scheme according to planning consent 19/00535 FULM notified 16th March 2021 with no changes.
B Proceed with an updated design layout based on the comments and suggestions of accessibility stakeholders, the Public Transport Team and Council Highways officers, whilst maintaining the materiality consented in Planning Application 19/00535/FULM.
C Proceed with an updated design layout (increasing the number of bus stops to five) and changes to type (i.e., pigmented tarmac, concrete tactile paving) and colour of materials (terracotta or green coloured cycleway) in public realm, based on the comments and suggestions of accessibility stakeholders, the Public Transport Team, and Council Highways officers.
D Proceed with an updated design layout (maintaining the number of bus stops to the current four) and accepting changes to type and the colour of materials (terracotta coloured cycleway) in public realm, based on the comments and suggestions of accessibility stakeholders, the Public Transport Team, and Council Highways officers.
E Recommended Option
Proceed with an updated design layout (maintaining the number of bus stops to the current four with increased waiting passenger capacity) and accepting changes to type and colour of materials in the public realm (i.e., pigmented tarmac, concrete tactile paving), based on the comments and suggestions of accessibility stakeholders, the Public Transport Team, and Council Highways officers.

A Although the scheme has full planning consent and therefore it is an option to proceed as permitted, owing to sensitivities towards the accessibility stakeholders and that the proposed changes have been deemed non-material by the LPA, this option can be discounted.
B Although some of the sensitivities towards accessibility, cycle and bus stakeholders have been addressed, this option falls short of the requirements.
C Although this option improves the general layout and addresses materiality concerns, careful consideration needs to be given to the choice of colour of pigmented asphalt. The terracotta colour considered by the York Accessibility Forum may conflict with green cycleways already in place across the city and proposals for other schemes (e.g., York Central). Now agreed as Green. The Council’s Public Transport Team do not support an increase in the number of bus stands to five and the only practical solution is to maintain four stands in either direction to conform with recognized TfL guidance, however we may increase waiting passenger capacity at the 4 bus stands.
D Although this option improves the general layout and addresses materiality concerns, careful consideration needs to be given to the choice of colour of pigmented asphalt. The terracotta colour considered by the York Accessibility Forum may conflict with green cycleways already in place across the city and proposals for other schemes (e.g., York Central). Now agreed as green. The Council’s Public Transport Team supports maintaining the number of bus stands at four stands in either direction.