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City of York Council |
Committee Minutes |
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MEETING |
Osbaldwick and Derwent Ward Committee |
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DATE |
25 October 2022 OSBALDWICK SPORTS CLUB |
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PRESENT |
COUNCILLOR Warters COUNCILLOR D’AGORNE DAVE ATKINSON – HEAD OF HIGHWAYS CINDY BENTON – COMMUNITY OFFICER 32 RESIDENTS |
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APOLOGIES |
COUNCILLORS Rowley |
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4. 6.30pm Resident Drop In
Local residents were given the opportunity to speak informally with Councillor Warters, Councillor D’Agorne and the Head of Highways and Transport prior to the main meeting.
5. 7.00pm Parking issues in Hull Road area
There followed a lively discussion on local parking issues.
There was a general consensus that significant parking issues had been caused by students & staff from the University of York (particularly since the introduction of the Badger Hill parking restrictions) to the consternation of local residents. It was also noted that these problems were less of an issue during the summer recess (when the students were not attending university).
From the outset, residents were disappointed to note that no one from the university was present at the meeting and wondered whether a representative had been invited (and, if so, what their response had been).
Councillor Warters confirmed that he had been in contact with the university in the past but, to his frustration, he had been informed that the parking issues were not the university’s problem. Another resident stated that she had also written to the university and had received a similar response. Councillor Warters considered that the university should apply some common sense and either increase parking capacity or reduce charges. It was agreed that the situation had been entirely avoidable and should have been flagged up and addressed when the Badger Hill parking restrictions had been implemented.
Councillor D’Agorne explained that it was the responsibility of the university to inform and educate both staff and students regarding appropriate and considerate parking. However, without a residents’ parking scheme in place, City of York Council had no authority to take enforcement action as the regulations needed to be in place first.
Councillor Warters explained that there were approximately 30 cars causing problems in Osbaldwick and that the university should not be permitted to extend its building programme on campus unless robust parking provision was included (preferably a multi-storey car park). He further remarked that there seemed to be no end to the planned expansion. The University had initially been required under the 2007 Planning conditions for Heslington East expansion to restrict the developed footprint of the site to 23% with 77% left undeveloped as parkland. That restriction has recently been swept away at the recent Local Plan Inquiry and the University Estate is to be more intensively developed with potential increases in displaced parking. However, that had been swept aside following a local planning enquiry. Councillor Warters pointed out that increased parking provision was being overlooked, which had negative ramifications for local residents. He also drew attention to the significant annual revenue which was generated by the university as a result of its parking charges (which he believed to be in the region of £100,000).
The Head of Highways and Transport advised that his department had been carrying out an analysis following the recent completion of the university’s (five yearly) Travel Plan and had been in discussions with the university regarding parking displacement and capacity.
Councillor Warters pointed out that there did not seem to be as much displaced parking arising from Archbishop Holgate’s School and suggested that the school may have increased its parking provision (and/or fewer students were choosing to drive there).
Councillor D’Agorne added that, as there was a general focus on discouraging car use by limiting the number of available places and implementing parking charges, he believed that an increase in parking provision could lead to increased car use. He further added that the university was the main generator of the whole parking problem.
A resident considered it preferable if students parked at the university rather than in residential areas and maintained that there would not be a problem if the university had provided enough parking at the outset. The irony of the situation was that the university’s green agenda had simply resulted in increased pollution and carbon emissions elsewhere.
The Head of Highways and Transport confirmed that City of York Council was in discussions with the university regarding a Park and Ride review as part of service improvement planning for additional parking.
Other potential solutions suggested by residents included the possibility of being issued with a logbook (similar to Hazel Court) as proof of residency, placing parking meters on the roads (with exemptions for residents and visitors) and reducing bus fares for students.
Question
A resident wondered why students could not be encouraged to park at the York Sport Village in Heslington East where there was more parking provision.
Answer
Councillor D’Agorne did not believe that there was any significant additional capacity at the Sport Village. He also informed residents that some of the revenue generated through parking charges was diverted into a free university shuttle bus service.
PARKING PERMITS
Residents raised concerns about not being able to park near their properties and also highlighted the difficulties faced by visitors (such as carers) who required regular access to particular properties.
Answer
Councillor D’Agorne advised that as the university parking scheme involved staff paying a specific percentage of their salary, he wondered if it was more of a financial incentive for them to park further away (particularly those who had to pay higher charges) to avoid paying for a university parking permit.
Question
A resident said she had spoken to some students from Badger Hill regarding the parking problems on Tranby Avenue and they had informed her that their landlords did not issue them with permits.
Answer
Councillor D’Agorne replied that it was not the responsibility of the landlords to provide or pay for parking permits.
Question
A resident wanted to know the cost of a residents’ parking permit per household.
Answer
Councillor D’Agorne confirmed that, in general, it cost in the region of £100 per year for a family vehicle.
HOUSES IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION (HMO’s)
Several residents were disparaging about local planning decisions relating to HMO’s and felt that parking problems had increased, concurrent with the construction of more HMO’s. They also felt that if more student accommodation was available on campus, it would result in more family and affordable homes being released back into the community.
Question
Another resident wanted to know why there were only one or two parking spaces available for HMO’s. He also highlighted the additional disruption caused by visitors (such as family, friends or partners).
Answer
Councillor Warters acknowledged the issue and gave some examples of properties that had been given planning permission for development as student accommodation despite having no (or limited) parking provision.
Question
A resident said it beggared belief that City of York Council could increase HMO’s when there was already limited parking provision. It was also noted that, despite paying their rates, residents felt they were getting a very poor service in return.
Question
A resident asked why HMO’s were not eligible to pay business tax.
Answer
Councillor Warters advised residents to question their MP regarding that particular issue.
Question
A resident asked why all students in HMO’s were not provided with free permits bearing in mind there would be multiple vehicles per household.
Answer
Councillor D’Agorne explained that in student HMO’s the first parking permit was issued free (but the other occupants would have to pay for additional permits).
The Head of Highways and Transport confirmed that he would make further enquiries regarding the issue.
Action: The Head of Highways and Transport to make further enquiries regarding the issue of permits in student HMO’s.
BADGER HILL
Question
A resident asked Councillor D’Agorne whether he recognised that there was, in fact, a problem regarding parking in Osbaldwick and why City of York Council did not allow free parking in Badger Hill.
Answer
Councillor D’Agorne recognised that there was clearly a parking problem, but the residents’ parking scheme in Badger Hill had already been approved and adopted. He added that if residents in Osbaldwick made representations for a residents’ parking scheme, it would be considered by City of York Council if at least half of the local households were in favour of it.
One resident said she couldn’t even park at the Badger Hill shops which resulted in a queue of vehicles waiting to park.
Another resident added that people didn’t want to pay to park in their own area and she felt strongly that the residents’ parking scheme was a cash cow for City of York Council.
ROAD SAFETY
A further discussion ensued regarding the potentially hazardous conditions within the locality arising from displaced parking. It was acknowledged that people parked indiscriminately on junctions, corners, pavements and grass verges which resulted in obstructed access and views for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers of all vehicles (including buses, refuse lorries and emergency vehicles). This was particularly hazardous for people with pushchairs or those with mobility or sensory impairments. The absence of any civil enforcement officers was also highlighted, and residents felt that their presence would discourage students from parking in the area.
The damage to pavements and grass verges as a result of contractors digging them up to lay cables was also raised as an issue. Councillor Warters stated that a previous initiative to plant more trees along Tranby Avenue had been thwarted by the installation of broadband. There were also concerns regarding the concreting over of gardens in order to create additional parking spaces.
Double yellow lines and outdated signage were also points of contention. It was felt that the painting of double yellow lines to certain roads (such as sections of Tranby Avenue and Cavendish Grove) would simply move the problem further along. Some other residents felt that double yellow lines were needed on both sides of the road. There was general agreement that the installation of ‘No Parking’ signs and removal of obsolete signs would improve the area and deter students from parking for long periods of time.
Another idea suggested by residents was to introduce restricted parking during specific times (which Councillor D’Agorne believed would be a good deterrent). He confirmed that he would look into the possibility of implementing and monitoring restricted parking.
Action: Councillor D’Argorne to look into the possibility of implementing and monitoring restricted parking.
Councillor D’Agorne explained that the council’s civil enforcement officers were able to issue fines in certain situations. However, if residents noticed any hazardous parking they could report it to the police.
Councillor Warters added that the police were normally very good at turning up in response to reports of traffic offences and he asked how many civil enforcement officers were employed by City of York Council.
The Head of Highways and Transport confirmed that there were approximately 20 (although two thirds were generally on shift for the entire city comprising 21 wards).
Question
A resident wanted to know if First York had raised concerns regarding the traffic displacement (particularly along Tranby Avenue).
Answer
The Head of Highways and Transport confirmed that, despite several requests for reports from First York regarding any traffic issues on Tranby Avenue, no representations had been made.
Question
Residents were surprised by that and wanted to know if City of York Council was going to wait until an accident had happened before taking any action.
Answer
The Head of Highways and Transport refuted that suggestion and confirmed that road safety issues were under constant review.
6. Update on road conditions in the area
The Head of Highways and Transport was then invited to provide an update regarding highways issues.
When residents raised concerns regarding the state of certain sections of Farndale Avenue and Thirkleby Way, the Head of Highways and Transport advised that specific formulas were devised to prioritise work carried out on the highways. However, Thirkleby Way and Farndale Close did not meet the hierarchy for intervention. Nevertheless, he was happy to provide further information to residents and confirmed that he would work with their ward councillors to address their concerns.
Another resident flagged up the danger to cyclists travelling along Thirkleby Way due to the presence of very large potholes.
Regarding the condition of road surfaces, Councillor Warters expressed disappointed that there wasn’t a policy that dealt with concrete sectional surfacing. He explained that when the tarmac had been scraped off the road in High Field, the underlying concrete sectional surface appeared to be in very good condition.
He considered it absurd that as long as potholes were less than the CYC intervention depth of an inch and a half (40mm) the road would receive no attention despite there being barely an inch (25mm) of tarmac overlay on the road as it stands, meaning there would never technically be breaches of the intervention levels despite the state of the road. He also added that a previous experimental resurfacing technique called ‘crack and seat’ which had been adopted on Tranby Road had been disastrous and cost an additional £500,000 to rectify.
The Head of Highways and Transport noted Councillor Warters’ comments and acknowledged that there had been some structural issues regarding concrete bases. He confirmed that the Highways Department was looking at using different materials on highways which, he hoped, would remedy the issues raised as soon as possible.
There then ensued a discussion regarding poor and obsolete signage which was considered unsightly and could also be confusing. Councillor D’Agorne acknowledged that some redundant signs were not removed in a timely manner (and he cited an obsolete sign on Heslington Road as an example).
Councillor Warters commented that each new road layout sign had a date on the back and that although funding was provided to erect them, there was no funding available for removing them. He added that even on obsolete signs, staff were still employed to apply weedkiller around pole bases (which he considered to be a waste of public funds).
The Head of Highways and Transport advised that the Highways Department did not have the capacity to deal with signage but noted the comments raised and confirmed that he would address the issue if and when more staff became available.
Question
A resident wanted to know where the junction at Hull Road and Tang Hall Lane was within the hierarchy.
Answer
The Head of Highways and Transport confirmed that arterial routes were generally regarded as a higher priority. However, he confirmed that the junction in question was due to be dealt with in the near future.
Question
A resident commented on the faded lines at certain junctions and enquired as to why there was patchy white lining.
Answer
The Head of Highways and Transport conceded that this was due to budgetary constraints and that work incurring less expense tended to be carried out sooner.
Question
A resident wanted to know why Virgin had been required to go back and resurface the pavements in Copmanthorpe but not in Osbaldwick.
Answer
The Head of Highways and Transport confirmed that Virgin had made a mess of the pavements in Copmanthorpe, which is why they were requested to rectify the damage.
Councillor D’Agorne added that, in accordance with the New Roads and Street Works Act, utility companies had a right to dig up highways in order to lay cables. He further commented that there had been an issue with cabling throughout York but if issues were not flagged up early enough the onus fell on City of York Council to deal with any ensuing problems.
Question
A resident asked whether a significant number of roads had been specifically resurfaced prior to the Tour de France several years ago.
Answer
The Head of Highways and Transport was unable to comment as he had not been involved during that time.
Question
A resident asked why no Park and Ride buses went directly to the station.
Answer
The Head of Highways and Transport confirmed that a network review for buses was being undertaken in order to optimise transport efficacy.
Councillor D’Agorne sympathised with the resident regarding the Park and Ride route and highlighted the national crisis affecting bus travel due to falling passenger numbers arising from the pandemic as well as staff shortages and fare increases.
Question
A resident asked whether the decision to paint double yellow lines in Tranby Avenue and Cavendish Grove could be reversed.
Answer
The Head of Highways and Transport advised that the decision had already been made and if the work had already been booked then reversing it could be problematic. However, he would look into it.
Action: The Head of Highways and Transport to look into the decision regarding double yellow lines on Tranby Avenue and Cavendish Grove.
Question
A resident enquired as to what could be done regarding overhanging trees and hedges if residents failed to maintain them.
Answer
Councillor D’Agorne accepted that this was a problem (which had been exacerbated by staff shortages). He advised that residents who failed to cut back their trees and hedges would be given due notice to do so and that if no action was taken, City of York Council would carry out the work and charge the residents. However, he acknowledged that City of Council should be more proactive (as opposed to reactive) when dealing with such matters.
Question
A resident asked what practical steps the Highways Department was going to take on behalf of the residents.
Answer
The Head of Highways and Transport confirmed that the issue regarding university parking was due to go before the scrutiny panel at end of the month. He also stated that he would consider residents’ concerns and would be happy to report back with a further update in approximately February/March 2023 when the Highways Department had had time to remedy the issues.
Action: The Head of Highways and Transport to report back on residents’ concerns in approximately February/March 2023.
7. Any Other Business
A resident then expressed gratitude for the provision of barrel planters which had been placed on the specific grass verges on Tranby Avenue as they not only improved the appearance of the area but also had prevented drivers from parking on the grass verges.
Another resident also asked whether future meetings could be more widely publicised.
Finally, Councillor Warters drew the meeting to a close and thanked everyone for their contributions.
, Chair
[The meeting started at Time Not Specifiedand finished at Time Not Specified].