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City of York Council |
Committee Minutes |
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Meeting |
Decision Session - Executive Member for Economy and Transport |
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Date |
11 July 2023 |
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Present |
Councillor Kilbane |
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Officers Present |
James Gilchrist - Director of Environment, Transport and Planning Dave Atkinson – Head of highways and Transport Darren Hobson - Traffic Management Team Leader Graham Titchener - Parking Services Manager Ben Potter - Engineer |
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1. Declarations of Interest (10:01)
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 they might have in respect of the business on the agenda. None were declared but in respect of agenda item 4, the Executive Member stated that he was a Councillor for the Micklegate Ward.
2. Minutes (10:02)
Resolved:
i. That the minutes of the Economy and Strategic Planning Decision Session held on 21 March 2023 be approved and signed by the Executive Member as a correct record.
ii. That the minutes of the Transport Decision Session held on 14 March and 21 March 2023 be approved and signed by the Executive Member as a correct record.
3. Public Participation (10:05)
It was reported that there had been six registrations to speak at the session under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.
Flick Williams spoke on agenda item 5 - Decision to Consider a Consultation to Propose the Removal of Cash Payments From the Parking Estate. She highlighted the difficulties disabled people, alongside other groups, would have with the proposed changes and the accessibility issues that would arise. She also spoke on the Equalities Impact Assessment and the problem of consultation fatigue.
Councillor Jane Burton spoke on agenda item 4 - Bishopthorpe Road Respark Experimental TRO and the feedback she received from residents. She explained that residents responded positively to the scheme and the accessibility and parking in the area had improved. She then stated that there were some signage issues in the area and that residents were also having issues in receiving ResPark permits before concluding that residents would like some further enforcement in the area.
Andy D’Argone spoke on the actions arising from the minutes. He stated that residents were yet to see the consultation on the draft cycling and walking strategy before questioning the Officer decision to change the moving traffic enforcement from Lendal to Micklegate Bar. He then requested for an updated report on the road safety issues around Acomb Primary School before asking the Executive Member to endorse the position on the Hospital Fields Road Scheme.
Councillor Taylor spoke on agenda item 6 - New Lane, Acomb - Review of Existing 20mph Limit. He stated that the recommended measures of improved signage would be ineffective and that installation of a crossing point and/or speed humps would be preferable to help to slow down cars. He criticised the consultation process and explained residents in Acomb had waited too long for improvements already.
Chrissy Winspear also spoke on agenda item 6 and stated that she has campaigned for traffic calming measures in Acomb for several years. She stated that current 20mph speed signage was already ignored and so additional signage would be ineffective. She requested that speed humps, double yellow lines on corners and improved signage all be installed before asking for improved signposting for the park car park.
Rebecca Baird also spoke on agenda item 6 and expressed frustration that she had not received a consultation on the proposed changes. She explained that existing signage on the road was pointless and parked cars were currently acting as the only traffic calming measure. She also stated that the speeding cars were a danger to pedestrians and requested that measures be taken to slow them down.
4. Bishopthorpe Road Respark Experimental TRO (10:25)
The Executive Member considered a report which aimed to review the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) to introduce a Respark Area (24/7), allowing 60 minutes parking for non-permit holders in the following streets: Bishopthorpe Road between Balmoral Terrace/Beresford Terrace and Campleshon Road/Reginald Terrace, and Balmoral Terrace between Bishopthorpe Road and Montague Street.
The Traffic Management Team Leader presented the report and explained that the ETRO had been generally well received by residents, which had eased the parking pressures that residents previously complained about. He also stated that the local surgery raised concerns about their access but that this had been settled through the amendment to the R58 Residents Priority Parking Scheme. He concluded by stating that Council would also review the signage in the area.
The Executive Member echoed the need for improved signage in the area and;
Resolved:
i. That the making of the permanent Order be approved, so the Residents’ Priority Parking would continue to operate as it has during the experimental Period.
Reason: This will provide permit parking for residents, with an availability of parking for 1 hour for Non-Permit Holders, such as visitors and patients of the surgery.
ii. That an amendment to the R58 Residents Priority Parking Scheme be approved to allow Medical Practitioners from Gillygate Practice, Southbank Medical Centre, 175 Bishopthorpe Road to apply for Doctors Permits.
Reason: This will help the local surgery provide a more efficient patient service.
5. Decision to Consider a Consultation to Propose the Removal of Cash Payments From the Parking Estate (10:28)
The Executive Member considered a report which requested he agree to a consultation on the removal of cash payments to pay for parking across the car parking estate.
The Parking Services Manager presented the report and explained that this decision leads on from the Full Council budget decision in March 2021. He stated that around 60% of the pay and display machines only accept cash and many were 20-25 years old so the decision to go cashless would inform the specification and procurement of new upgraded machines. He then listed some motivations for cashless parking, such as the steady decline in cash payments being made for car parking where the use of cash was reduced to about 12% in 2022/23, theft of and damage to the machines, and the maintenance costs involved.
The Officer concluded by explaining that the consultation would look into the issues surrounding going cashless and that there would be a specific consultation through the York Access group, which in turn would help to update the Equality Impact Assessment before this item is returned to a future Decision Session.
The Executive Member highlighted the importance of the Council being inclusive and equitable, and;
Resolved:
i. That Option 1, the proposal to the proposal to consult members of the public to move to cashless payment methods across the parking estate then bring back to a future Executive Member Decision Session for decision to acknowledge the consultation findings and move to cashless payment methods, be approved.
Reason: In order for the Executive Member to make an informed decision and balance up the benefits and disbenefits to drop the acceptance of cash payments across the parking estate, leading on from the March 2021 budgetary decision.
6. New Lane, Acomb - Review of Existing 20mph Limit (10:34)
The Executive Member considered a report which detailed the results of a consultation exercise with regard speed management proposals for New Lane, Acomb following on from the completion of a feasibility study and the receipt of a 124-signature petition.
The Engineer for Highways Engineering Design presented the report and stated that from the consultation, it was shown that the residents had no desire for vertical traffic calming measures and that Officers did not consider them to offer value for money, especially when their detrimental effects were considered. He also explained that whilst Officers recommended option 3 (improved signage only), this would be kept under review and stronger measures could be introduced if they were not having the desired effect.
In response to questions from the Executive Member, the Engineer noted that the disparity in responses from the petition and the consultation may be due to how consultations were carried out.
The Executive Member requested that Officers re-evaluate how traffic measures are being considered in the wider area to ensure interventions could be made to make it more community centred. He then;
Resolved:
i. That Option 3: Improved Signage Only, be approved. Eight additional repeater signs to be provided along the full length of New Lane to support the existing signage.
Reason: Following consultation with residents of the street there was no clear desire for the introduction of vertical traffic calming, despite the previous petition request. The measures do not offer value for money and when considered alongside the potential detrimental effects of such features on residents’ quality of life the negative effects were considered to outweigh the positive impact in this case.
Councillor Kilbane, Executive Member
[The meeting started at 10.01 am and finished at 10.41 am].