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City of York Council |
Committee Minutes |
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Meeting |
Decision Session - Executive Member for Transport |
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Date |
9 February 2021 |
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Present |
Councillors D'Agorne and Widdowson |
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Apologies |
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57. Declarations of Interest
The Executive Member was asked to declare, at this point in the meeting, any personal interests, not included on the Register of Interests, or any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests that he might have had in respect of business on the agenda.
The Executive Member declared a personal interest in relation to item 4. Resident Parking Consultation for Broadway West and Westfield Drive. This is because the Executive Member lived on one of the streets listed in the item. For item 4. Cllr Paula Widdowson Executive Member for Environment and Climate Change attended to make a decision.
58. Minutes
Resolved: That the minutes of the Joint Budget Decision Session of the Executive Members for Transport, Economy and Strategic Planning, and Environment and Climate Change held on 12 January 2021 be approved and signed by the Executive Member as a correct record.
59. Public Participation
It was reported that there had been ten registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.
Cllr Fenton was joined by local resident Sarah Costello in requesting that the Residents Priority Parking scheme in the Revival Estate be implement despite not receiving the 50% response rate required. They noted the high support from those that responded and the unique nature of the area which might have contributed to a response of below 50%, they also requested the a 20 MPH speed limit be introduced.
Cllr Craghill spoke in favour of the proposals relating to Navigation Road Walking & Cycling Improvements. She noted the mixed response from residents for a one way plug in the area and therefore, welcomed an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) to test how it in the changes would work.
Cristian Santabarbara spoke in relation to the Cycle Courier Proposal to Permit Access to Footstreet Area, he outlined that cyclists needed a trial scheme to allow access through the city centre.
Robyn Jankel from the York Cycle Campaign noted that they supported the proposals for Navigation Road and would support a trial to offer a safe north south access for cyclists through the city. They also highlights the interruptions to regular cycle networks while flood defence work was being undertaken and a concern that the Council was not delivering a good enough or fast enough solution to the interruptions caused.
Max Potts spoke as a business owner in the city centre who uses cycle couriers to deliver food. He outlined the need for a safe and efficient route needed for couriers through the city centre. He noted that the radius of delivers had shrunk due to the requirement for cyclists to walk through the city centre and the need for couriers to make two delivers per hour to earn the minimum wage, something which was increasingly difficult for couriers due to restrictions in the city centre.
Alex Marshall spoke as President of the IWGB union for precarious workers. He noted that current restrictions on couriers in the city centre, had meant that couriers faced failing to deliver on time and the financial costs of this or fines for breaking the current rules which could amount to a couriers wages for the day. He expressed that couriers had worked as key workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and asked the Council support them by amending the rules on the footstreets.
Nick West also owned a business in York, he noted that business’ like his own would not have survived during COVID-19 without couriers and expressed the need for couriers to be able to move around the city at all times of day efficiently to deliver food on time. he also noted that current restrictions had had impact on car drivers that worked as couriers.
Christian Taylor noted that his business had reduced the number of days it opened due to challenges presented by COVID-19 and a lack of government support. He expressed that couriers played a vital part to his business and that the current restrictions to the foot streets had had a negative impact on couriers working in the city.
Cllr Kilbane raised concerns that a review of cycle options in the footstreets area as proposed in the report to agenda item 9 would delay the implementing of solutions to allow cyclists and couriers access through the city centre. He noted that the closure of Terry Avenue would mean losing a north south route through the city and recommended that that the Council engage stakeholders such as disability groups and the York Cycle Campaign to safely amend the footstreets restrictions.
Cllr Melly noted the that the city had benefited from the extension of the footstreets in the city, but noted that improvements were required and that more should be open to cyclists. She noted that the Police already had the ability to enforce against dangerous cycling and couriers required access to perform their job. She also noted that current restrictions did not prevent all vehicles accessing the city centre and that cycle couriers could be added to the vehicles with authorised access.
60. Resident Parking Consultation for Broadway West and Westfield Drive
Cllr Widdowson considered the report presented by officers and noted the responses for both Broadway West and Westfield Drive. Due to a 75% return and 71% in favour for Broadway West she supported initiate the legal procedure to amend the Traffic Regulation Order to include Broadway West in the R63 Resident Parking Area. To operate 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday with a 30 minute parking allowance for non-permit holders. For Westfield Drive she supported no further action be taken as only 25% respondents were in favour of a residents parking area.
Resolved:
i. To initiate the legal procedure to amend the Traffic Regulation Order to include Broadway West in the R63 Resident Parking Area. To operate 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday with a 30 minute parking allowance for non-permit holders.
ii. No further action to be taken for Westfield Drive.
Reason: This is the preferred options of the majority of residents who replied to the consultation.
61. Economy & Place Transport Capital Programme – 2020/21 Monitor 2 Report
An update was provided on the Economy & Place Transport Capital Programme and it was noted that COVID-19 and flooding had delayed some schemes in the programme. Discussion took place regarding the Capital Programme and the development of the Active Travel Fund programme and were approved and noted.
Resolved:
i. Approved the amendments to the 2020/21 Economy & Place Transport Capital Programme.
ii. Noted the progress of schemes in the Transport Capital Programme, and the development of the Active Travel Fund programme.
Reason: To implement the council’s transport strategy identified in York’s third Local Transport Plan and the Council Priorities, and deliver schemes identified in the council’s Transport Programme.
62. Consideration of consultation results from the Revival Estate following a petition being received requesting Residents’ Priority Parking
Officers introduced the report and noted that responses for a implementation of Residents Priority parking area had come back below the 50% threshold and therefore was recommended for no further action. Discussion took place regarding the high rate in favour of Residents Priority parking area from the 43% that responded. It was also considered that due to flats in the area with different parking arrangements this may have affected the response rate. Therefore, the Executive Member supported taking forward the formal advertisement of the TRO process to try and get a clearer view of all residents opinion of the scheme.
Resolved:
i. To take forward the formal advertisement of the TRO process to try and get a clearer view of all residents opinion of the scheme and a 20 mph zone, based on the percentage of respondents in favour (71%) of the scheme.
Reason: To obtain a further view of residents opinion of the scheme.
63. Hopgrove Lane South Consultation Update
The Executive Member welcomed the comments provided by local Ward Members and agreed to support a further investigation to deliver a safe scheme.
Resolved:
i. Noted the consultation feedback and to investigate further the possibility of a safe scheme.
Reason: To consider the local Member views, and decide the best way forward.
64. Navigation Road Walking & Cycling Improvements - Consultation Results and Final Proposals
Officers introduced the report and outlined two concerns raised by the Police in relation to the proposals, these were in relation to access to two businesses and the one way plug on Navigation Road. It was confirmed that both of these concerns could be mitigated in the design phase. The Executive Member requested that officers continue to engage with the Police to ensure mitigations identified can alleviate concerns. It was also requested that Ward Members would be kept up to date.
Resolved:
i. Instructed officers to complete the design of the Navigation Road one-way plug and introduce it on a trial basis using an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order;
ii. Instructed officers to complete the design of the other three aspects of the scheme and implement them following proposals on a permanent basis:
· Measures associated with the Foss Islands Road / Navigation Road junction safety scheme
· Repositioning the bollards at either end of Hungate Bridge to ensure equalities and safety compliance;
· Improvements to signing and lining in the area between Navigation Road and Hungate Bridge.
iii. That an update on the consultation and final proposals be brought to the Executive Member.
Reason: To improve safety for both pedestrians and cyclists
passing through the areas.
65. Response to Cycle Courier Proposal to Permit Access to Footstreet Area
Officers introduced the report which outlined the proposed response to the proposal submitted by the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) York Group to City of York Council in January 2021, to create a courier pedal cycle permit scheme to enable cycle couriers to gain access to the footstreet area. The Executive Member thanked the public speakers on the item but noted that the council would need to undertake a review of access to the foot streets. The possibility of a permit system on a north south route was discussed.
The importance of identifying the best outcome that supported cyclists, pedestrians, and local business that supports modal change in how people get around the city was noted and the success of the E-Bike and E-Scooter trial was highlighted.
Resolved:
i. Approved the continuation of the existing arrangements (including Temporary Traffic Regulation Order restrictions until 8pm outside of Lockdown/Tier 3 periods); and
ii. Approved the commissioning of a detailed review of the proposal, alongside other cycle access options to the footstreets, as part of the process to potentially make permanent changes to the restrictions on access to the footstreets area.
Reason: To ensure that the concerns of all stakeholders are adequately considered prior to making any changes to footstreet restrictions in accordance with the decision by the Executive on The Future of the Extended City Centre Footstreets on 26/11/2020.
Cllr A D’Agorne, Executive Member for Transport
[The meeting started at 10.10 am and finished at 11.36 am].