Decision details

Options

A.     To retain St George’s Field in the short to medium term as a coach-parking site so that use can be monitored in order to establish whether the site is a suitable long-term option.

B.  Use St George’s Field as a temporary coach park with a view to relocating coach parking in the medium term, primarily to Park and Ride sites as these are the recommended option in the study.

C. Progress work on examining the feasibility of allowing coaches to use     bus lanes.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for City Strategy be advised to

(i)       Approve Option A to allow coach parking to remain at St George’s Field in the short term but note that there are advantages in coaches parking away from the City centre, as far as possible, in the future; 

(ii)               Approve Option C for Officers to investigate the feasibility of the use of bus lanes by coaches but stress that any proposed changes must guarantee no worsening of stage carriage and park and ride bus performance;

(iii)      Agree to Officers investigating the possibility of introducing restrictions on coaches parking free of charge on roads such as Knavesmire Road;

(iv)      Note that the City has no objections in principle to coaches using Park and Ride sites with their passengers using these bus service links to access the City centre. Instructs Officers to survey local businesses like the Designer Outlet Centre for their views on this option whilst also bearing in mind this possible demand when designing the 3 new park and ride sites scheduled to be constructed in the City.

Decision of the Executive Member for City Strategy

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:   (i)To allow York to offer quality facilities suited best to the visitor demographic that will enable the city to strongly compete with other destinations for coach trade.

(ii)                         (iii) (iv)To enable Officers to carry out feasibility assessment of allowing coaches to use the bus lanes, restrictions on coach parking and survey local business on their views on coach parking.